Baked French Toast

If your holidays are anything like mine, there is still a lot of celebrating to do. I thought that a simple (but gorgeous) breakfast dish just might come in handy this week. As long as you have pecans in the house, everything else you need should be on hand.

I bake this recipe in an Emile Henry oval baking dish (approx 1 qt: oval 11 x 7 x 2) and it serves 6 generously. When it comes out of the oven, invert it onto a large platter to reveal the sticky sweet pecan detail on top. Yum!

Baked French Toast

1/4 cup brown sugar
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
Enough pecan halves to cover bottom of a baking dish (1 cup?)
4 eggs
3/4 c. milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
10 slices of white bread

Melt brown sugar, butter and maple syrup together in a saucepan over low heat. Pour into baking dish and spread evenly. Arrange pecans (top side down) so that they cover the entire bottom of the pan. Arrange 2 layers of bread in the pan, tearing pieces to fit. Whisk eggs, milk and vanilla together. Gently pour egg mixture over bread. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Uncover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Invert onto a platter and serve with a pitcher of maple syrup.

Happy Holidays!