Baked Blueberry Pecan French Toast

A sweet friend made this french toast for us to stick in the oven for our breakfast Christmas morning. She packed it up so neatly, so all we had to do is stick it in the oven and put the topping on. It was delicious. The only change I would make is to double the pecan topping because it rocked my socks off. I really could have just licked it right off the spoon, but I wanted to be good. This is the perfect breakfast to make if you're having company. It sits overnight, and then all you have to do the next day is pop it in the oven.


Ingredients:
1-16 ounce loaf french bread, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 Tablespoon butter, softened
8 large eggs
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Topping
1/2 Tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon light corn syrup
1 cup pecans
1 cup blueberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325.
Spread bread crumbs on a baking sheet and bake 15 minutes until bread is hard and dry. Butter a 13x9 baking dish and pack the dried bread crumbs into it. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in the milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour mixture over the bread. Cover the entire mixture with plastic wrap, and push the bread down into the bread mixture until coated. Refrigerate overnight.

Topping
Stir butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup together until combined. Stir in the pecans. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day: Bake at 350-degrees for 45 minutes. Add blueberries, and dollop pecan mixture over the bread. Bake for 15 more minutes. Serve with warm maple syrup.

Source: Therena Smith