Brioche Overnight French Toast

1. Prepare Baking Dish

Butter a 2-quart baking dish generously to ensure nothing sticks, and set it aside.

2. Prepare Bread Slices

Butter the front sides of the brioche slices to create a rich, golden crust when baked. Arrange the buttered bread slices upright in the prepared baking dish, overlapping them slightly if needed to fit them all in.

3. Add Raisins

If you’re using golden raisins, tuck them between the bread slices rather than placing them on top.

4. Prepare Custard

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, freshly ground nutmeg, pure vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Make sure everything is well combined to create a smooth custard.

5. Soak Bread with Custard

Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread slices, ensuring every piece gets a good soak. Gently press the bread down to help it absorb the custard fully. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

6. Preheat Oven and Add Pecans

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the plastic wrap from the dish and sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top if you’re using them.

7. Bake French Toast

Place the dish in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the French toast is puffed up, golden brown, and set in the center. If the top gets too dark before the dish is fully cooked, tent it with foil to prevent burning.

8. Cool and Serve

Once baked, let the French toast stand for about 10 minutes to cool slightly and set. Just before serving, dust it with confectioners’ sugar if you like and drizzle with maple syrup.