FRENCH TOAST IS THE PERFECT COMBINATION OF SALTY-SWEET AND CHEWY-TENDER. The best way to make french toast is to quickly sauté the custard-saturated bread in lots of butter, and then put the entire pan of toast in the oven to cook the interiors until they puff up. Unfortunately, it only takes a few minutes for the slices of toast to deflate. And there is always lots of leftover custard mixture that is a shame to toss. This casserole solves both problems and makes the tender centers of the bread the star while still providing some serious chew. This dish is a combination of French toast, bread pudding and a soufflé.

FINDING A GREAT CHALLAH ISN’T EASY. Challah is a rich egg bread, but not as dense as a brioche. Traditionally, challahs—which are used as part of the Jewish Sabbath ritual—are braided into an oblong football-shaped loaf. This creates lots of crust that adds a delicious texture to the final dish. How do you tell if you’ve found a good challah? Thwack on one like a melon and it should produce a satisfying thumping noise. The crust should be smooth and hard, but not crumbly, and the interior tooth should be moist and light.

TRY ADDING SOME EXTRAS. While the French Toast Soufflé is tasty just plain, a little creativity can make this dish your very own masterpiece—think “danish” and you’ll understand what extra ingredients will delight. Fold the extras into the custard after adding the bread to help distribute them evenly. Adding pecans, raisins, or chocolate chips gives the final product an even brunchier vibe. Add half a brick of Philadelphia cream cheese, cut into small cubes, to provide a rich, creamy surprise to the casserole. Substitute dark rum for the vanilla, or change out the orange juice for mashed mandarin oranges in syrup. This recipe multiplies easily so you can feed a crowd. Plus, it reheats in the microwave really well, so the leftovers are nearly as tasty the next day.