Everyone enjoys french toast on the weekend, but who wants to deal with all the time or mess? This French Toast Casserole is made the night before, just pop it into the oven the following morning and you will have a scrumptious breakfast or brunch dish sure to please.
The flavors in this casserole are perfect for this time of year: lots of cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. The topping is a slightly crunchy and flavorful praline-type mixture of pecans, butter and brown sugar-the perfect accompaniment to the creamy custard underneath.
Here is how you can make your own:
You can find the entire recipe here.
Casserole:
Start by buttering a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread the 1 inch pieces of Italian bread on two baking sheets and bake until dry and golden brown, around 25 minutes. Let the bread cool completely.
When bread is cooled, pack into the buttered baking dish. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg together.
Pour mixture over the bread and press the bread down to submerge as much as possible. Wrap pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
Topping:
Stir softened butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup together until smooth then stir in pecans. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
When you are ready to bake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle topping over casserole and place dish on a baking sheet. Bake until golden and puffy, around 1 hour.
Serve immediately. Syrup and whipped cream optional!
