Ingredients:
- 1 large loaf (approx. 1 lb / 450 g) brioche, challah, or sourdough, cubed into 1-inch pieces
- 1 Tbsp (15 g) unsalted butter, softened or melted, for greasing
- 8 large eggs, lightly whisked
- 1 cup (240 mL) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 mL) heavy cream (Double Cream)
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar (Caster Sugar)
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp (2 g) ground nutmeg
- Pinch (1 g) kosher salt
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed (for streusel)
- ½ tsp (2 g) ground cinnamon (for streusel)
- 4 Tbsp (55 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for streusel)
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped pecans (for streusel)
Instructions:
- Lightly grease the 9x13 inch (23 x 33 cm) casserole dish with butter.
- Cut the bread into roughly 1-inch cubes and scatter them evenly into the prepared dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until the custard mixture is smooth and uniform.
- Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes in the dish. Gently press the bread down with a spatula to ensure all pieces absorb the liquid fully.
- Cover the dish tightly with cling film (plastic wrap) and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours, or ideally, overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter using your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Remove the French toast casserole from the refrigerator and discard the cling film. Scatter the prepared streusel topping evenly over the soaked bread.
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, the streusel is crisp, and the centre is set.
- Let the casserole rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.