I know French toast sounds like a weekend indulgence, but we are going to use “healthier” bread and make our custard the night before, so it comes together quick and gets us out of a breakfast rut. You can use the same measurements and use sliced brioche and half and half if you want something more decadent.

First, you’re going to make the custard the night before, so in the morning, it is just a soak and a cook. You could make the maple berries the night before too (leave them to rest on the stove, they’re fine) and just give them a gentle warm up in the morning.

Alton Brown taught me to use day-old bread, so it soaks up the custard better. More often than not, I have sandwich bread that I leave out overnight or give a quick toast to in the morning if I need to dry it out quickly.