It’s a yearly thing at our place, making it the night before Christmas. No last minute cooking on Santa’s watch haha

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of challah or brioche bread, torn into chunks (best if a day old)
• 1 and 3/4 cups of half-and-half
• 1 cup of coarsely chopped pecans
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• A pinch of salt

Instructions (Preparation Night):

1. In a food processor, combine butter and brown sugar until it forms a crumbly texture.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until well combined.
3. Add the crumbly butter and brown sugar mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until it forms a smooth mixture.
4. Place the torn challah or brioche bread chunks in a large greased casserole dish.
5. Sprinkle the coarsely chopped pecans evenly over the bread chunks.
6. Pour the egg and sugar mixture over the bread and pecans, ensuring all the bread is soaked.
7. Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the bread to absorb the liquid.

Instructions (Baking Morning):

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Remove the casserole dish from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
3. Uncover the casserole and bake it in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
4. Once done, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.

Serve the Overnight Pecan Praline French Toast Casserole with your favorite toppings like maple syrup or whipped cream. Enjoy!