Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

Sooo good!  A cross between a cinnamon bun and bread pudding...a real decadent French Toast.  This dish is perfect for a large breakfast crowd.  Next time I serve brunch I will definitely include this on the menu along with Melba's Egg and Cheese Casserole.  Very easy and will be our next Thanksgiving and Christmas breakfast, being-as-how you make this a day ahead of time.  Make extra copies of the recipe because this is one you'll be handing out.  Kids especially love this.  


You could turn this into a fantastic bread pudding by cubing the bread, letting it dry out spread on cookie sheet in the oven at 250 degrees for 15 - 20 min.  Eliminate the maple syrup and make a bourbon sauce to serve it with.  Bourbon sauce: 1 stick melted butter, 1 cup sugar - over low heat until dissolved, remove from stove and add 1/4 cup bourbon -serve warm over pudding.

Gotta love Paula Deen anything...this is another one of her recipes.  

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 TBSP granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping (recipe follows)
Maple syrup

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 TBSP light corn syrup
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg


Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.