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French Toast Bake with Pecan Praline

Bread is sliced and placed on a parchment lined baking pan. Then eggs, half and half, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt are whisked together. Next the egg mixture is poured over the bread, to soak the bread completely. The bread slices are refrigerated overnight. Next the bread is baked for 30 minutes, then flipped over and topped with a mixture of chopped pecans, syrup, vanilla, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. The bread cooks with the topping for 20 minutes more.
Course Breakfast
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Refrigeration Time 8 hours
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

French toast

  • 1 loaf French bread cut into 1 inch slices
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups half and half
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt

Praline Topping

  • 1 ½ cups pecans chopped
  • 2 tbsp pure maple extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper or nonstick mat.
  2. Arrange bread slices in a single layer to cover the pan, as many as will fit.
  3. Add eggs to medium bowl and beat for 1 minute, then whisk in remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, then flip each piece, so each side is covered in mixture. (It will look very soggy, but it will absorb overnight.) Cover, and chill in the refrigerator at least 8 hours, or overnight.
  4. For the topping, add pecans to a medium bowl and add 2 tbsp syrup and 1 tsp vanilla; toss to evenly coat. In a separate bowl add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and crumble until coarse crumbs. Then add the brown sugar mixture to the pecans and toss to evenly combine. Set aside and refrigerate.
  5. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 30 minutes, then flip over all the slices of bread. Spoon praline topping evenly over each slice of bread and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Or prepare the praline topping while the bread is baking the first 30 minutes.