Ingredients
- For the caramel:
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- For the french toast:
- 1 1/4 cup orange juice (fresh is great!)
- 1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (any milk will work)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (coconut sugar or pure maple syrup also works)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 pound/loaf day old french bread/baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
- For the topping
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
1. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish or 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine melted butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl, pour the mixture into prepared baking dish, be sure to spread out evenly towards the sides. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Place cubed bread evenly over the pecan mixture.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together orange juice, almond milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs and orange zest. Pour egg mixture over the bread, making sure to soak each cube. If there are some dry pieces, simply push them down a bit to soak up some of the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
4. Once ready to bake: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar on top of the bread. Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour or until the top of the french toast bake is golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes then cut into 8 servings.
5. When you plate, flip each piece upside-down so the caramel and pecans are on top. Serve with fresh berries, yogurt, powdered sugar, or maple syrup. Enjoy!
SOURCE: ambitiouskitchen.com
