Praline Pecan French Toast Casserole

4.60 (42)
⏱ 525 mins 🍽 ['8', '1 (9x13-inch) casserole'] 🌶 american 🏷 Breakfast

This indulgent casserole is an ideal centrepiece for a festive morning. Slices of French bread soak in a rich custard overnight, then bake atop a layer of maple syrup, pecans and brown sugar. The result is a fluffy interior with a wonderfully crunchy, caramelised topping, finished with a dusting of icing sugar. It serves eight from a single 9x13-inch dish.

Praline Pecan French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups half-and-half
  • 8 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 8 slices French bread
  • 0.25 cup butter, or more as needed
  • 0.5 cup maple syrup
  • 0.75 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar, or more to taste

Method

  1. Combine the half-and-half, eggs, vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar in a large, shallow bowl. Submerge the French bread slices in this mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Heat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  3. Put the butter into a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Place the dish in the heated oven just until the butter melts, which should take about 5 minutes. Carefully swirl the melted butter to coat the dish base.
  4. Evenly spread the maple syrup, chopped pecans and the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar over the melted butter. Arrange the soaked bread slices on top of this pecan mixture.
  5. Bake the casserole until the top is golden brown and the centre is set, for 30 to 35 minutes. Lightly sprinkle with confectioners' sugar immediately before you serve it.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories460 kcal
Fat24 g
Sugars30 g
Protein12 g
Sodium320 mg

Recipe details

CategoryBreakfast
Cuisineamerican
Authorjmsorce