Equipment Needed
- A 9×13 inch baking dish
- A large mixing bowl
- A whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Plastic wrap or a fitted lid for the baking dish
- A sharp serrated bread knife
Step-by-Step Instructions
We start with the bread. Take your day-old loaf and use a serrated knife to cut it into 1-inch cubes. Don’t worry about being perfectly neat—rustic chunks are perfect. I pile all these cubes directly into my greased 9×13 baking dish, spreading them out into a somewhat even layer. I’ve found that slightly overcrowding the dish is better than having too few cubes; you want them snug so they support each other as they soak up the custard. The sight of all that bread ready to be transformed is always satisfying.
Now, for the heart of the dish: the custard. In your large mixing bowl, crack all eight eggs. I always crack them into a small bowl first, one by one, to avoid any rogue shells—a lesson I learned after a frantic shell-fishing expedition mid-recipe once. Add the half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Now, whisk! Whisk until the mixture is completely homogenous, with no streaks of egg white or pools of spice. You want it to be a smooth, pale yellow liquid, speckled with spices and smelling absolutely heavenly.
Here’s the crucial moment. Slowly and evenly, pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes in the baking dish. I like to pour in a slow, steady stream, moving over the entire surface. Don’t stir or toss just yet! Let the custard settle and start to soak in for a good five minutes. Then, and only then, take clean hands or a large spoon and gently press the bread down into the custard and fold the top cubes to the bottom. You want every piece to get a good drink. Some pieces on top will still look dry, and that’s okay—they’ll become the crispy top.(See the next page below to continue…)