Make Ahead French Toast Casserole with Caramel Pecan Topping

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Use good quality French or Italian bread with a fairly open crumb and toast the bread before assembling the casserole. The dry bread soaks up the custard more readily than fresh bread would, and the toasting process also deepens the flavor of the bread. Blend whole milk and half-and-half with eggs for the custard. Heavy cream made a custard that was far too rich. The prepared casserole can sit in the refrigerator for anywhere from eight to 24 hours. Add a praline-like topping for the casserole with a blend of pecans, brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. The corn syrup helps the topping spread smoothly and melt evenly.

ingredients

Casserole

1 loaf (16-ounce) 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 ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Topping

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup
5 ounces pecans , chopped (1 1/2 cups)

directions

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1. 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, about 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Allow the bread to cool.
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2. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish (or casserole dish of similar size) with butter. Layer the baked bread tightly in the prepared dish (you should have two layers). Whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg and pour evenly over the bread. Press lightly on the bread to submerge. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
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3. For the topping: When ready to bake, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup together until smooth, then stir in the pecans.
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4. 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.

notes

Do not substitute lowfat or skim milk for the whole milk in this recipe. To ensure a sticky and crisp topping, make the topping just before baking. Walnuts can be substituted for the pecans.

Source: Tawnya Rivera