Baked Blueberry-pecan French Toast With Blueberry Syrup

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 thick crusted baguette (24-inches)
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup pecans (about 3 ounces)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (plus 1 teaspoon extra to be used for the pecan topping)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups blueberries (about 12 ounces)
• 1 cup blueberries (about 6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Recipe

• 1 butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. cut twenty 1-inch slices from baguette and arrange in one layer in baking dish.
• 2 in a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and 3/4 cup brown sugar and pour evenly over bread. chill mixture, covered, until all liquid is absorbed by bread, at least 8 hours, and up to 1 day.
• 3 preheat oven to 375°f.
• 4 in a shallow baking pan spread pecans evenly and toast in middle of oven until fragrant, about 8 minutes. toss pecans in pan with 1 teaspoon butter and salt.
• 5 increase temperature to 400°f.
• 6 sprinkle pecans and blueberries evenly over bread mixture. cut 1/2 stick butter into pieces and in a small saucepan heat with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, stirring, until butter is melted.
• 7 drizzle butter mixture over bread and bake mixture 35 minutes, or until any liquid from blueberries is bubbling.
• 8 blueberry syrup:.
• 9 in a small saucepan cook blueberries and maple syrup over moderate heat until berries have burst, about 3 minutes.
• 10 pour syrup through a sieve into a heatproof pitcher, pressing on solids, and stir in lemon juice.
• 11 syrup may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. reheat syrup before serving.
• 12 serve french toast with syrup.