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Baked Bourbon French Toast with Praline Topping

Source of Recipe

From "Once Upon A Chef" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"I created this dish as a fun way to use up leftover challah when I was developing my Braided Honey Challah recipe, and now I just keep making it, whether I have homemade challah in the house or not. The bottom layer is soft like bread pudding, and the top layer is golden and crisp. But the best part is the praline topping: as the pecans bubble away in the caramel sauce, they become crunchy and almost candied. File this one under over-the-top holiday brunch recipes."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 5 eggs
â—¦ 1 â…“ cups half-and-half
â—¦ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
â—¦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
â—¦ 4 tablespoons bourbon
â—¦ Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
â—¦ One 1-pound challah bread, cut crosswise into slices about ¾ inch thick
â—¦ ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
â—¦ 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
â—¦ ½ cup chopped pecans
â—¦ Pure maple syrup, for serving (optional)


Recipe

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or use nonstick cooking spray). In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, granulated sugar, vanilla, 2 tablespoons of the bourbon, and the salt until well combined.

Dip each slice of challah into the custard mixture for about 5 seconds, then arrange in an overlapping pattern in the prepared baking dish. Be sure the entire bottom of the dish is covered with the bread. Pour any remaining custard evenly over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350° F and set an oven rack in the middle position.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar, corn syrup, and remaining 2 tablespoons bourbon. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking just until smooth. Stir in the pecans. Spoon the mixture evenly over the challah in the pan.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes more. Watch closely toward the end; the pecans should be crisp but not burnt. Let cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve warm with maple syrup, if desired.

Serves 8



Notes:

• Allow at least 2 hours for the French toast to rest in the fridge before baking.

• You don't need fancy bakery-quality bread; plain ol' supermarket challah works just fine. If you can't find challah, brioche makes a good substitute.