OVEN BAKED CARAMEL APPLE FRENCH TOAST

Oven Baked Caramel Apple French Toast image

Provided by Sher Bird

Categories Eggs

Time 1h15m

Number Of Ingredients 18

1 c dark brown sugar
3 Tbsp white corn syrup (karo or other)
6 Tbsp butter
1 c chopped pecans
3 each golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced (or you may use pears instead!)
1/3 c water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp white sugar
1 Tbsp each: lemon juice and cornstarch
12 slice french bread or challah, 1 inch thick
12 oz cream cheese
6 large eggs
1 c milk (whole milk preferably)
1 c whipping cream or half n half
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
OPTIONAL GARNISHES:
confectioner's sugar, whipped cream, chopped pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg

Steps:

1. Generously grease a 9x13" oven baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
2. Combne brown sugar, white corn syrup, and butter in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute, stirring often. Pour into bottom of greased oven dish, spread out evenly. Spread pecans over.
3. Combine the apples, water, cinmamon, white sugar, lemon juice and cook, stirring constnatly, in sauce pan over medium heat just until apples slices begin to soften up. Add the cornstarch, mix in well and continue to stir until mixture thickens up, then remove from the heat.
4. Place just six of the bread slices in a single layer in the baking dish over the caramel layer. Thickly spread each slice with some cream cheese. Distribute the apple mixture over the bread slices in the pan. Pour apple mixture over the bread. Cover the pan with the remaining 6 slices of bread.
5. Mix together the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, connamon. Pour this over the bread in the baking dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight (not for more than 24 hours).
6. Remove pan from refrigerator, and remove cover. Bake for 1 hour in a 350 deg. oven until browned and slightly puffy. Remove from oven and immediately place portions on serving plates. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. If desired add whipped cream and a garnish of more chopped pecans, cinnamon, or nutmeg.