Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 16-ounce loaf supermarket French or Italian bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
8 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 cups half-and-half
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Topping:
12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons corn syrup
5 ounces pecans, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
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Directions: |
Directions:For the casserole:
Adjust two oven racks to the upper and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Arrange the bread in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake until dry and lightly golden brown, about 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Allow the bread to cool.
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter. Layer the baked bread tightly in the prepared dish (you should have 2 layers). Whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and pour evenly over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
For the topping: When ready to bake, adjust an oven rack to 350 degrees. Mix the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup together until smooth, then stir in the pecans.
To assemble and bake: Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and unwrap. Spoon the topping over the casserole then spread it in an even layer. Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden about 60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Variation: Combine 1 1/2 cups raisins and 1 cup rum in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and poke several vent holes with the tip of a paring knife. Microwave on high until the rum comes to a boil, 1 to 3 minutes then set aside until the raisins are plump, about 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly, discarding the rum. Proceed with the recipe, sprinkling the plumped raisins in between the two layers of bread in step 2. |
This recipe for French Toast Casserole with Carmel-Pecan Topping is from