Baked French Toast with Pears and Hazelnuts Recipe
Baked French Toast with Pears and Hazelnuts- a delicious fall-inspired brunch recipe.
How to Make the Best Baked French Toast with Pears and Hazelnuts
This Baked French Toast with Pears and Hazelnuts is the ultimate fall brunch dish that will have your kitchen smelling absolutely incredible. The combination of caramelized bosc pears, toasted hazelnuts, and warm spices like cardamom and nutmeg transforms ordinary French toast into something truly special.
What makes this recipe stand out is the vanilla bean-infused custard that soaks into every slice of bread, creating a custardy interior with a perfectly golden, slightly crispy top. The caramelized pears add pockets of sweetness throughout, while the crushed hazelnuts provide a wonderful textural contrast and nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the maple syrup.
Best of all, you can assemble this dish the night before and refrigerate it overnight, making it perfect for stress-free entertaining. Simply pop it in the oven in the morning while you brew your coffee, and you’ll have a stunning centerpiece for your brunch table with minimal effort.
Baked French Toast with Pears and Hazelnuts
Baked French Toast with Pears and Hazelnuts- a delicious fall-inspired brunch recipe.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Toast hazelnuts 10-15 mins, let cool, and gently crush using a rolling pin.
- Split vanilla bean, scrape out seeds and place directly in a small saucepan with 2 1/2 cups half and half. Add the remaining vanilla pod. Warm up the half and half and vanilla on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until almost to a boil. Turn heat off and let cool and steep 20-30 minutes.
- Slice the pears. Melt the butter in a skillet and sauté pears on medium heat until golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Simmer for a few more minutes, allowing them to caramelize. Set aside.
Assemble and Bake
- Cut bread into 1/2 inch slices. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, salt, spices, orange zest and 3 tablespoons maple syrup. When the half and half has cooled, remove the vanilla pod, and add a little at a time into the egg mixture, mixing it together. Do NOT add hot cream to the egg mixture, it may cause your eggs to curdle. Either let the cream cool, or temper the eggs by adding just a little warm cream at a time, mixing in-between so the eggs gradually warm-up.
- Generously butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer bread, hazelnuts, and caramelized pears pouring all the buttery syrup from the pan evenly over the bread. Pour batter over, using a spatula to ensure it goes in all the cracks and crevasses. Let sit at least 30 minutes, so bread can soak up batter, or refrigerate overnight.
- Right before placing in the oven, drizzle the top with 1 more tablespoon maple syrup and sprinkle with a pinch of cardamom.
- Bake 45-50 minutes until puffed and golden. If your layers measure higher than two inches, you may need to bake longer. Check the middle to see if all the liquid is cooked. If it puffs up, it is done. Melt small dots of butter over the top and serve with warm maple syrup.
Notes
- The true test for doneness is if the French toast puffs up in the oven.
- You can prepare this the night before and refrigerate overnight for an easy morning brunch.
- Brioche bread works wonderfully for a richer, more decadent version.
