Baked French Toast Casserole

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Show: Paula's PartyEpisode: Lovin' Spoonfuls

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (171)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(171)

Cook Time:
45 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: 8 hr 0 min
Cook: 45 min
Total:: 9 hr 5 min

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Ingredients

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
Butter, for pan
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Raspberry Syrup, recipe follows

Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch thick 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 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with Raspberry 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. Spread over bread as directed above.

Raspberry Syrup:

1 cup raspberry preserves

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (recommended: Framboise)

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until warm and thinned out like syrup.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Baked French Toast Casserole
Rebecca Pine Bluffs, WY 10-29-2009
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Awesome to share
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I first had this recipe when I went to a friends for her wedding - the bride treated us girls to this dish for breakfast and... it was fabulous! I have made it a few times since for special occasions and brunches. It is really easy. I do the egg mixture about 1 1/2 times because I love custard and it makes kind of a custard in the bottom. The raspberry sauce just totally tops it off - although in a pinch, I have thinned down some raspberry preserves with simple syrup and it was very good as well.Read more
recipe Baked French Toast Casserole
LAURIE Northridge, CA 10-27-2009
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Even better the next day!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this for a large group of guests. Could not be any easier. The only change I made was using 6 eggs. All the bread... was soaked up by the time I put it in the over the following morning. Delicious! I had some left overs and ate them the following day, too. Yummmm!Read more
recipe Baked French Toast Casserole
L Peoria, IL 10-18-2009
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Very good and very easy
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I recently made this casserole for a brunch time baby shower. It was a big hit and was very easy to put together. One word... of caution... this bubbled over in my oven and made a massive mess. It burned to the bottom of the oven and caused the smoke alarm to go off numerous times. Next time I will definitely be putting the pan on a baking sheet.Read more
recipe Baked French Toast Casserole
Stacia euclid, OH 09-06-2009
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Liked the french toast but not in love
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

My husband and I liked the recipe but was not in love. I read some of the reviews and modified the recipe a little. I did... not use as much liquid and only used 6 eggs. I did not do the prailine topping exactly. I can't eat nuts, so I left that out and I could not do all that butter. So I just mixed all the dry ingredients together in a zip log bag and sprinked it on the top layer and put some slices of butter on the top. It had a nice crispy crust, that I loved. I will make this again yet I will cube the bread for a better presentation and make a sauce of my cinnamon and sugar mixture. The casserole was so sweet I did not even want or crave syrup. I think the raspberry syrup is nice to give that sweet and sour thing going. The casserole is so sweet you need some sour to break it up. Overall, it was pretty good, but not great! Read more
recipe Baked French Toast Casserole
Anne Cornelius, NC 08-16-2009
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What a Disaster!
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

This sounded so good, but turned out terribly for me. When I opened the oven to take it out it was just boiling in oil. Had... to clean my oven afterwards. The recipe looked so good and the reviews too so I was very disappointed. Fortunately, the church youth group breakfast had lots of other things for the kids to eat. I used a pullman load and maybe I put too much bread in. Definately would cut some of the butter out!Read more
recipe Baked French Toast Casserole
Anita Baytown, TX 08-13-2009
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YUMMMMY
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This recipe makes my children wish they lived closer!