Description
Overnight Pecan Praline French Toast blends Southern comfort with luxurious breakfast indulgence. Layers of rich bread soak in a sweet custard before baking to golden perfection, creating a crowd-pleasing morning masterpiece you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients (Bread and Nuts):
- 1 French or Italian bread (sliced into pieces that are about ½-inch thick, using about half to ¾ of a loaf)
- ½ cup rough-chopped pecans
Sauce Ingredients:
- ½ cup (113 grams) butter (plus more for greasing the pan)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Custard and Topping Ingredients:
- 5 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups (355 milliliters) milk or half & half
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup packed brown or white sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Thoroughly coat a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 centimeters) baking dish with butter or cooking spray to ensure easy release.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then incorporate brown sugar and corn syrup. Increase temperature to medium-high and continuously stir until the mixture becomes smooth and fully integrated. Pour this caramel-like sauce evenly across the prepared baking dish.
- Distribute pecans uniformly over the liquid foundation, creating a consistent layer of nutty texture.
- Arrange bread slices compactly, ensuring no gaps exist between each piece, creating a seamless surface across the baking dish.
- Whisk eggs, whole milk, pure vanilla extract, and salt in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined and slightly frothy.
- Gently pour the egg mixture over the bread, making certain each slice becomes completely saturated with the liquid.
- Wrap the baking dish securely with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 8-12 hours, allowing flavors to meld and bread to absorb the custard.
- Remove the dish from refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
- Prepare the topping by mixing desired ingredients and sprinkling evenly across the soaked bread surface.
- Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until the top turns golden brown and the center becomes set with a slight wobble.
- Allow the French toast to rest for 5 minutes after removing from the oven to help it stabilize.
- Invert the entire dish onto a serving platter, allowing the caramelized pecan layer to become the stunning top presentation.
Notes
- Overnight preparation transforms basic ingredients into a magical breakfast showstopper that’ll wow weekend guests.
- Pecans add delightful crunch and rich, buttery flavor to every single bite of this make-ahead morning marvel.
- Refrigerating the dish allows bread to soak up all those decadent egg and vanilla custard flavors completely.
- Brown sugar and butter create a luscious caramel-like praline sauce that bubbles and caramelizes during baking.
- Flipping the casserole when serving ensures everyone gets a generous coating of sticky-sweet pecan topping.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 525 kcal
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 205mg