French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 large loaf good-quality French loaf, sourdough, ciabatta, or challah
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 5 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Zest from one medium orange
• 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• Dried cranberries
• Powdered sugar
• Maple syrup

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375F (190C), and set a rack in the middle. Cut the bread into 1-inch slices, then turn those slices into 1-inch cubes; if you’d rather, just pull the bread into pieces with your hands. Keep the crusts right where they are.
2. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish if you want thicker slices, or a 3-quart baking dish if you want thinner slices, using cooking spray or butter. Scatter in enough bread cubes to cover the bottom, then add a few tablespoons of pecans over them. Keep alternating the bread pieces and pecans until they’re all in the dish.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until combined. Add the milk, sugar, orange zest, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and whisk everything together well. Pour the custard evenly over the bread. If you want a little more control here, move the mixture into a large measuring cup with a spout before pouring it over the casserole.
4. You can bake the casserole now, or cover it and refrigerate it overnight.
5. In a separate bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Use a spoon to drizzle that mixture evenly across the bread.
6. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes; I baked mine for about 38 minutes. If you want the bread pieces on top darker and crisper, let the casserole stay in the oven a bit longer.
7. Take the casserole out of the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Add dried cranberries and a dusting of powdered sugar on top, if you like, and put the maple syrup on the table.