Baked French Toast with Pecan Crumble

Ingredients

• 1 pound egg bread loaf - crusts thick sliced
• 4 large egg yolks 
• 4 large eggs 
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 0.5 teaspoons ground nutmeg 
• 2 cups heavy cream 
• 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar light
• 0.5 cup pecans 
• 8 servings blackberry syrup 
• 0.5 cup sugar 
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted chilled cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 2 cups milk whole

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• baking pan
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Spread out bread on a rimmed baking sheet; let stand overnight.
2. Butter a 13x9" baking dish.
3. Cut bread so slices are similar in size. Arrange, overlapping, in rows in prepared dish.
4. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
5. Pour over bread, pressing bread to help it soak up custard. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
6. DO AHEAD: Bread can be soaked 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
7. Preheat oven to 375°F. Pulse pecans, butter, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor until nuts are coarsely chopped.
8. Scatter pecan crumble over soaked bread.
9. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and cover tightly with foil.
10. Bake until warmed through (a knife inserted into the center should feel warm to the touch), 25–30 minutes.
11. Remove foil and bake until deeply browned, 35–40 minutes longer.
12. Let cool slightly before serving with Blackberry Syrup.
13. DO AHEAD: Pecan mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.