Baked French Toast with Praline Topping

recipe from Paula Deen

Baked French Toast with Praline Topping

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 bread 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:

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

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

Pecan Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Almond Citrus Syrup

from Hostess with the Mostess

Pecan Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Almond Citrus Syrup

Ingredients:

Filling:


1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla


Toast:

14 pieces of Texas toast
4 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
butter (about 4 Tbsp)


Syrup:

1 cup Smucker's Apricot preserves
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions:

Mix together cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in chopped pecans. Spread on one side of 7 slices of Texas toast a spoonful of the filling mixture. Top with remaining 7 slices of Texas toast. (I did this the night before and put the sandwiches in a plastic bag, then in the refrigerator. Then I took the bread out of the fridge while I prepared the syrup and made the egg mixture.)

At this point make your syrup. Combine the syrup ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. The syrup will thicken up while it cools. You want it to cool for about 15 minutes.

Mix your egg, milk, and vanilla together.

Preheat the oven to 400F . Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place in oven to warm up. Melt 1/2 tbsp or so of butter in a frying pan. Take the sandwiches, one by one, and place in the egg and milk mixture, turning so that the mixture covers both sides. Transfer the sandwich to the pan and cook until the first side is lightly brown. Flip over and cook the other side. When both sides are lightly brown, place the sandwich on the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.

Serve with the Almond Citrus Syrup or regular syrup.