1. Tear one piece of bread or challah into 1-inch pieces and process with 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon in food processor until finely ground, 8 to 12 one-second pulses (you should have about 1/2 cup crumbs).

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300°F. Place remaining 8 pieces of bread on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake bread until almost dry throughout (center should remain slightly moist), about 16 minutes, flipping slices halfway through cooking. Remove bread from rack and let cool 5 minutes. Return baking sheet with wire rack to oven and reduce temperature to 200°F.

3. Whisk milk, yolks, remaining sugar and cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter, salt, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Transfer mixture to 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

4. Soak toasted bread in milk mixture until saturated but not falling apart, 20 seconds per side. Using firm slotted spatula, pick up bread slice and allow excess milk mixture to drip off; repeat with remaining slices. Place soaked bread on another baking sheet or platter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon bread crumb mixture over one side of each slice of soaked bread.

5. Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. When foaming subsides, use slotted spatula to transfer 2 slices soaked bread, crumb-mixture side down first, to skillet and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. (If toast is cooking too quickly, reduce temperature slightly.) Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat cooking with remaining bread, 2 pieces at a time, adding 1/2 tablespoon of butter for each batch. Serve warm, passing maple syrup separately.

Serves 4