baked french toastBesides the fact that's there's a maple syrup shortage due to the warm winter, there's no reason you shouldn't make one of the most delicious breakfasts ever invented. Just be sure you take the word "breakfast" very lightly because this Baked French Toast Casserole by Paula Deen is definitely not healthy, nor substantive, nor does it include any ingredients that'll make you ready to start your day. That said, it's amazing. You might as well just main line sugar into your veins if you're going to eat this, but hey, birthdays and family reunions were what recipes like this were made for.

It's as delicious as it is deadly, but certainly worth baking up for one super duper special occasion. Mmm. Butter, syrup, bread, and sugar. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. 

Baked French Toast Casserole

Prep time: 20 minutes. Inactive time: 8 hours. Cook time: 40 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

Slice French bed 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 Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

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

Enjoy!

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Photo via arnold inyuaki/Flickr