Baked Blueberry-Pecan French Toast with Blueberry Syrup

Ingredients

• 24 inch crusty baguette 
• 6 ounces blueberries 
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 6 large eggs 
• 1 tablespoon juice of lemon fresh
• 0.5 cup maple syrup pure
• 0.5 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
• 3 ounces pecans 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 0.3 cup butter unsalted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 3 cups milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• sieve
• baking pan

Directions

1. Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
2. Cut twenty 1-inch slices from baguette and arrange in one layer in baking dish. 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 350°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.
7. 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.
8. Drizzle butter mixture over bread and bake mixture 20 minutes, or until any liquid from blueberries is bubbling.
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. Syrup may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat syrup before serving.
11. Serve French toast with syrup.