20 Make Ahead French Toast Bakes Step by Step

Pick a rich, sturdy loaf such as brioche, challah or French bread rather than soft sandwich bread, since a firmer crumb holds its shape once soaked. If your loaf is fresh, cube it and spread the pieces on a tray in a 150°C (300°F) oven for about 10 minutes to dry them out, which stops the finished bake turning gluey.

Cut the loaf into roughly 2.5cm (1 inch) cubes, keeping the crusts on for extra texture and structure. You need about 500g (1 lb), which is roughly 8-9 cups of cubed bread, enough to fill a 23x33cm (9x13 inch) dish without packing it down.

Rub a 23x33cm (9x13 inch) baking dish generously with softened or melted butter, paying extra attention to the corners and sides. This stops the custard-soaked bread sticking as it bakes and helps the edges turn a deep golden brown.

Scatter the bread cubes evenly into the prepared dish in a single, loosely packed layer, filling any large gaps with smaller pieces. An even layer means the custard reaches every cube and the casserole bakes and sets at a consistent rate.

In a large bowl or jug, crack in 8 large eggs and whisk them until the yolks and whites are fully combined and the mixture looks uniformly pale yellow, about 30 seconds. Beating the eggs well first prevents streaky white bits appearing once the milk is added.

Pour in 480 ml (2 cups) whole milk and 120 ml (1/2 cup) double cream, whisking as you go. The cream adds richness so the centre stays soft and custardy rather than watery once baked.

Whisk in 100 g (1/2 cup) soft light brown sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg and 1/4 tsp fine salt. These warm spices are what give a make ahead French toast casserole its familiar bakery aroma as it cooks.

Continue whisking for another 20-30 seconds until the sugar has fully dissolved and no streaks of egg remain visible. The custard should look glossy and pour in a smooth, even stream.

Slowly pour the custard over the layered bread cubes, working in a zigzag motion so the liquid reaches every corner of the dish rather than pooling in the centre. Drizzle the melted 30 g (2 tbsp) butter over the top once all the custard is in.

Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to gently press down on the bread cubes so the top layer submerges into the custard. Every piece should look moistened and slightly darker in colour, with no dry white patches remaining.

Cover the dish tightly with cling film or a lid and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, and up to 24 hours, which is the make ahead step that lets the bread fully absorb the custard. This overnight rest is what gives the baked casserole its soft, bread-pudding-like centre instead of a dry, eggy top layer.

In a separate bowl, rub 75 g (1/3 cup) cold cubed butter into 100 g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar, 90 g (3/4 cup) plain flour and 1 tsp ground cinnamon using your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse, pea-sized crumbs. This can be made the night before or on the morning of baking.

Tip the streusel into a small airtight container or bag and keep it in the fridge alongside the soaking casserole, rather than sprinkling it on early. Adding it just before baking keeps it crisp instead of dissolving into the custard overnight.

The next morning, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and take the casserole out of the fridge while it heats up. There is no need to bring the dish fully to room temperature; baking it cold simply means the covered stage of baking may take a few extra minutes.

Remove the cling film and look at the bread: it should appear evenly soaked, slightly puffed at the edges and fully coated in custard with little to no visible dry liquid pooling underneath. If any dry patches remain, press them down gently and spoon a little of the pooled custard back over them.

Scatter the chilled streusel crumbs evenly over the entire surface of the casserole, right out to the edges. An even layer means every serving gets a bit of that crisp, buttery, cinnamon-sugar crust.

Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25-30 minutes. The foil traps steam so the custard sets gently in the middle before the top has a chance to overbrown.

Remove the foil and continue baking for a further 20-25 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the streusel looks crisp and slightly crackled. The centre should be puffed rather than sunken, and the edges will have pulled slightly away from the sides of the dish.

Insert a knife into the centre of the casserole; it should come out mostly clean with just a little moist custard clinging to it, not raw egg. If the middle still jiggles like liquid or the knife comes out wet, return it to the oven in 5-minute bursts until it firms up.

Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes out of the oven before slicing, which allows the custard to finish setting so the squares hold together neatly. Serve warm with maple syrup, fresh berries or a light dusting of icing sugar.