Baked French Toast with a Crunchy Nutty Topping

What better way to ease into the weekend than with a homemade brunch for the family that’s both delicious and simple to make? Julia Thomas from @bakingbreakfast has shared her recipe for French toast with a crunchy nut topping, so we can all start our day in the most indulgent way possible.

"Baked French toast makes the perfect laid-back brunch dish, with all the magic happening while you wait. This recipe feels a little luxurious with its beautifully rich, cinnamon-scented filling; and pairs perfectly with a side-serving of sharp, smashed blueberries and thick and creamy Greek yoghurt. The nutty topping adds even more flavour and a satisfying crunch to the dish.

Ciabatta bread is ideal for making baked French toast as it holds its structure well during the baking process, but any similar bread would work just fine. If you want to get ahead you can soak the bread overnight in the fridge, ready to bake the next morning. Just be sure to add an additional 10 minutes or so to the baking time to allow everything to come up to temperature."

For the French toast:
250g ciabatta (or similar bread), sliced
4 egg yolks
300ml whole milk
75ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
30g brown sugar

For the topping:
60g whole almonds, roughly chopped
40g pecans, roughly chopped
60g butter
45g brown sugar

To Serve:
200g fresh blueberries, gently warmed until they begin to burst
Greek yoghurt

Step 1: In a bowl or jug, beat the egg yolks. Add the milk, cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon and sugar and whisk together.

Step 2: Arrange the slices of bread in an oven-proof dish (approx. 18 x 27cm in size) and pour over the egg mixture. Cover with baking foil.

Step 3: Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan). By the time the oven is up to temperature the bread should have soaked up most of the liquid mixture. Gently agitate the dish to distribute the remaining liquid through the bread, then bake, covered, for 20 minutes.

Step 4: While the French toast is baking, make the topping. Melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir until it’s mostly dissolved. Mix in the nuts until they are evenly coated.

Step 5: Carefully remove the dish from the oven and take off the foil. Top the bread with the nut mixture, before returning it to the oven, uncovered, for a further 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Step 6: Serve warm with Greek yoghurt and smashed blueberries.