Crowd Pleasing French Toast Casserole

I started making this for Christmas morning breakfast back when I was in college, and have come up with many different iterations of this since then. I've done one with Nutella and strawberries, one with cinnamon raisin bread, and one with chopped bacon on top. However, this is the version I keep coming back to time and time again. It has little surprise pockets of cream cheese hidden throughout and is dressed with a crunchy praline topping. Easily made the night before, then rested in the fridge overnight so all the flavors get soaked into the bread. Be warned, it's not the healthiest of options... but who says you can't splurge a little every now and then?

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Servings: 12

Prep Time: 20 min

Total Time: 9 hr 10 min

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large loaf of French bread

• 8 eggs

• 2 cups half & half

• 1 cup milk

• 2 Tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• Pinch of salt

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 pkg cream cheese (softened)

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

Praline Topping

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened and cut into small cubes

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 cup chopped pecans

• 2 tbsp light corn syrup

• 1 Tbsp flour

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

2. Prepare cream cheese filling by mixing cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla with an electric mixer until combined.

3. Tear bread into small chunks (about 2-3 inches each) and place in prepared baking dish. While you are adding the bread, drop small spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture throughout the baking dish so the cream cheese is incorporated fairly well throughout the bread. Do this until you have used all of the cream cheese.

4. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half & half, milk, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and salt with a whisk. Pour in baking dish until all of the bread and cream cheese are covered evenly.

5. Cover with foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

6. The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

7. In a medium sized bowl, combine all ingredients for the praline topping. I find it easiest to mix with my hands. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the bread and cream cheese.

8. Bake for 45-50 minutes until lightly golden brown and the praline topping has melted and started to bubble. Serve warm!