French Toast Waffles

Name: French Toast Waffles
Ingredients: 6 ¾-thick slices Texas toast, Pullman, or other white sandwich bread; 6 large eggs; ½ cup heavy cream; ¼ cup sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; ½ tsp. ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg; ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter; ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup; ¼ tsp. kosher salt; ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; Chopped pecans or fresh berries (for serving; optional)