Baked French Toast with Honey Syrup

An overhead photo of baked french toast topped with powdered sugar and raspberries and drizzled with honey simple syrup in a baking dish.

5 from 6 votes

Soft challah slices soak overnight in a vanilla yogurt custard, then bake until set with a golden top. Serve this baked French toast with fresh seasonal fruit and homemade honey syrup on the side.

Prep Time15

Cook Time32

Resting Time1

Total Time1 47

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American/Mediterranean

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 491.3kcal

Author: Suzy Karadsheh

Ingredients

For the French Toast

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided: 2 tablespoons softened and 1 tablespoon cold
8 (3/4-inch thick) challah bread slices
1 cup plain yogurt, whole-milk or low-fat, not Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Kosher salt
1/4 cup whole milk
Powdered sugar, for garnish (optional)
Seasonal fruit, such as raspberries, for serving

For the Honey Simple Syrup

1 cup honey
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon lime juice

Instructions

Prepare the bread. Divide the 2 tablespoons softened butter among all eight bread slices, spreading it on one side of each. Arrange the slices buttered-side down in a large 14-by-10-inch baking dish, slightly overlapping.
Make the custard. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, honey, vanilla extract, and a small pinch of kosher salt.
Soak overnight. Pour the custard over the challah. Gently tip the dish and use a spatula to distribute the custard evenly, lifting a few slices so it reaches underneath. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Prepare to bake. The next morning, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Uncover the baking dish. Dot the challah with the remaining 1 tablespoon cold butter, then pour the milk evenly over the slices.
Bake. Bake uncovered until the custard is set and the challah is almost firm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the honey syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the honey and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then lower the heat and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to lukewarm. Stir in the lime juice.
Brown the top. Once the custard is set, turn on the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes, watching carefully, until the top is golden brown.
Finish and serve. Dust with powdered sugar, if using, and top with seasonal fruit. Serve the honey syrup on the side so everyone can add as much or as little as they like.

Notes

Bread: Challah is soft and slightly sweet, but another fluffy, thick-cut white bread works here. This is a good way to use bread that has gone a little stale.
Yogurt: Use regular plain yogurt. Greek yogurt is too thick for this custard.
Make ahead: Refrigerate the bread and custard overnight, or for up to 24 hours before baking. Add the cold butter and milk just before baking, and the fruit and powdered sugar just before serving.
Leftovers: Refrigerate cooked French toast in a shallow, covered container within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Keep refrigerated at 40°F or below and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Freezing: For a future gathering, assemble the dish the night before rather than baking, freezing, and reheating it.
Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse Mediterranean ingredients, including the honey used here.

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