Recipe: Baked Blueberry-Pecan French Toast with Blueberry Syrup

BAKED BLUEBERRY-PECAN FRENCH TOAST WITH BLUEBERRY SYRUP

24-inch baguette
6 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup packed light brown sugar, divided use
1 cup pecans (about 3 oz.)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) plus 1 tsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups blueberries (about 18 oz.), divided use
FOR THE BLUEBERRY SYRUP:
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Cut 20 1-inch slices, on the bias, 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 eight hours, and up to one day.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

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.

Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle pecans and 2 cups of the blueberries evenly over bread mixture. Cut 2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter into pieces and in a small saucepan heat with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, stirring, until butter is melted. Drizzle butter mixture over bread.

Bake mixture at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until any liquid from blueberries is bubbling.

TO MAKE THE BLUEBERRY SYRUP:
In a small saucepan, cook the remaining 1 cup blueberries and maple syrup over moderate heat until berries have burst, about 3 minutes. 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.

Source: Gourmet Magazine