French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

• 1 cup pure maple syrup, divided

• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans, divided

• 12 (1-inch-thick) baguette slices (from 1 baguette, ends discarded)

• 5 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 1/4 cups whole milk

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon orange zest plus

• 1 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 orange)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided 2 tablespoons

• 2 oz bourbon

• Powdered sugar, for serving

Instructions

Stir together brown sugar, melted butter, and 1⁄4 cup of the maple syrup. Spread mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 3⁄4 cup of the nuts. Arrange baguette slices stacked where the end is in the bottom of the dish and the top rests on the next slice. This gives a little more extra crispy texture on top and plenty of gooey goodness on the bottom.

Whisk together next 5 ingredients and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Pour over baguette slices. Cover; chill 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove baking dish from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown and set, about 35 minutes.

During final 10 minutes of baking, combine bourbon and remaining 3⁄4 cup maple syrup and 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over low, stirring, until warm, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover pan.

Sprinkle casserole with powdered sugar and remaining 1⁄4 cup nuts. Serve with warm Bourbon-Maple Syrup.

Urban Cowgill December 2019

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