Pain Perdu Casserole

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Pain Perdu Casserole
Serves 8
So this holiday season, when you’ve got a crowd or if you’d like to start a NEW holiday food tradition, try my recipe for Pain Perdu. You might find you’d be lost without it.
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Caramel Pecan Smear
  1. 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
  2. ½ Cup Salted Butter
  3. ¼ Cup Light Corn Syrup
  4. 1 Cup Pecan Pieces
Pain Perdu Filling
  1. 12 slices French Bread, Sliced 1 1/2 inches thick
  2. 4 Extra-Large Eggs, Beaten
  3. 4 Cups Half & Half
  4. ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
  5. ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar
  6. 1 tsp Pure Vanilla
  7. ½ tsp Salt
  8. ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
  9. 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  10. As Needed Nonstick Vegetable Spray
Orange Cream Cheese Butter (makes enough to serve a 9" x 13" Pain Perdu Casserole)
  1. 2 Sticks Salted Butter, Softened
  2. 2 TBSP Powdered Sugar
  3. 4 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
  4. 1 TBSP Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice
  5. 1 TBSP Orange Zest
Caramel Pecan Smear
  1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes and cool to room temperature.
  2. Spray a 9” x 13” casserole dish with non-stick vegetable spray. Pour the caramel pecan smear into the dish and spread evenly.
Pain Perdu Filling
  1. Layer bread slices evenly over the top of the caramel pecan smear within the 9” x 13” casserole dish, making sure the finished layering/shingling is of even height edge to edge.
  2. Whisk together the eggs, half & half, sugars, vanilla, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in large bowl until blended and then pour mixture over bread slices evenly.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  5. Remove plastic wrap from casserole and bake approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the Pain Perdu is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove casserole from the oven and allow to rest 10 minutes.
  7. Loosen the casserole from the sides with a sharp knife, and then carefully turn the entire casserole over onto a serving platter of appropriate size.
  8. Cut portions as desired and top with the Orange Cream Cheese Butter.
Orange Cream Cheese Butter
  1. Beat all ingredients together until light and fluffy.
Notes
  1. Makes one 9" x 13" casserole and feeds 6 to 8 persons
Nino Salvaggio https://www.ninosalvaggio.com/