Baked Butter Pecan French Toast

Baked Butter Pecan French Toast

from halfbakedharvest.com

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup, plus 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup real maple syrup
  • 7 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped pecans
  • 8 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier ((orange liqueur))
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 loaf challah bread, sliced into thick slices
  • whipped cream, for serving ((optional))
  • 1 cup real maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

  1. 1

    1. Grease a 9x13 inch-baking dish with butter. 2. In a bowl, mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar, maple syrup, and 6 tablespoons melted butter. Pour half the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half the pecans. 3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Grand Marnier, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Submerge each piece of bread into the egg mix, allowing the bread to sit at least a minute to soak up the eggs. Arrange the bread in the baking dish. Pour the remaining egg mix over the bread slices. Then add the remaining brown/sugar maple mix.4. In a bowl, mix the remaining pecans, butter, and brown sugar. Sprinkle the nuts over the french toast. 5. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375° F. Bake for 45 minutes or until the French toast is golden and crisp. If the tops of the bread begin to brown too quickly, cover with foil.7. Meanwhile, make the syrup. In a small pot, mix the maple syrup, bourbon, and vanilla. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes until thickened8. Serve the french toast warm, drizzled with syrup. Enjoy!