Martha Stewart Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Baked French Toast

Martha Stewart bacon, egg, and cheese baked French toast takes 375 minutes, mostly hands-off, and uses bacon, cheddar and roasted tomatoes to make a puffed, custardy brunch bake. Try this make-ahead brunch casserole for holiday mornings or weekend gatherings, since it chills overnight and feeds 12.

Let the bread dry out for 4 to 6 hours before it ever touches the egg mixture, because stale slices soak up the custard without falling apart. Skip that and fresh bread turns soggy and collapses into a mushy layer instead of puffing up.

Martha roasts the bacon and tomatoes together on one pan first, so the bacon is three-quarters cooked and the tomatoes are wrinkled and sweet before assembly. Shingling the dipped bread in overlapping rows on a quarter sheet pan also gives you a sliceable, crisp-edged bake instead of a loose strata.

Martha Stewart Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Baked French Toast

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Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

280

kcal

Egg-soaked bread slices are shingled on a sheet pan, topped with cheddar, bacon and roasted tomatoes, then chilled so the custard soaks in. In the oven it puffs up golden and crisp at the edges with a soft, tender center.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf sandwich bread (about 1 pound), cut into 10-to-12 slices (¾-inch-thick)
  

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or left whole, if small)
  

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more (or softened unsalted butter) for baking sheet
  

• Kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground pepper
  

• 6 strips thick-cut bacon (6 ounces total)
  

• 8 large eggs
  

• 1 2/3 cups whole or 2 percent milk
  

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
  

• 3 ounces sharp cheddar, grated (¾ cup)
  

Directions

• Dry the bread: Spread the 10 to 12 slices of sandwich bread on a rimmed baking sheet and let them dry out for 4 to 6 hours. Dry bread drinks up the egg mixture later without turning to mush.
• Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F, then toss 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them on one side of a parchment-lined 12 1/2-by-9 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet and lay 6 strips of thick-cut bacon on the other side.
• Roast tomatoes and bacon: Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tomatoes are wrinkled and soft and the bacon is about three-quarters cooked. Move both to a plate, discard the fat, remove the parchment, then wash the sheet and brush it with oil or butter.
• Whisk the custard: Whisk 8 large eggs, 1 2/3 cups milk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl. Keep it close to the sheet pan, because you'll be dipping slices right away.
• Dip and shingle: Dip each bread slice in the egg mixture, turning to coat, then arrange the slices on the sheet in overlapping layers. Three rows of four fit neatly.
• Top and chill: Pour the remaining egg mixture evenly over the bread, where it will pool on top and sink through as it sits. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons parsley and 3 ounces grated cheddar, then add the bacon and tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
• Bake until puffed: Preheat the oven to 375°F again and bake the French toast uncovered for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350°F and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until puffed and cooked through, then let it cool slightly before slicing.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use fresh bread instead of drying it out?

Fresh bread works in a pinch, but it absorbs the custard too fast and turns soft. If you're short on time, toast the slices in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until they feel dry but not browned.

How far ahead can I assemble this baked French toast?

You can assemble it up to 24 hours ahead, covered in the fridge, which is the whole point of the recipe. Bake it straight from the fridge the next morning, since the custard needs at least 1 hour to soak in.

How should I store and reheat leftovers?

Wrap leftover slices well and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes so the edges stay crisp instead of getting rubbery in the microwave.

What can I swap for the cheddar or bacon?

Gruyere or Swiss both melt well in place of sharp cheddar, and cooked breakfast sausage can stand in for the bacon. Keep the amounts the same so the custard-to-bread ratio stays balanced.

What's the most common mistake with this recipe?

Skipping the chill time is the big one, because the bread needs at least an hour to absorb the egg mixture before it hits the oven. Without it you get dry bread tops sitting on a layer of runny custard.