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Pain Perdu Casserole
2015-12-17 08:33:29
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.
Caramel Pecan Smear
- 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- ½ Cup Salted Butter
- ¼ Cup Light Corn Syrup
- 1 Cup Pecan Pieces
Pain Perdu Filling
- 12 slices French Bread, Sliced 1 1/2 inches thick
- 4 Extra-Large Eggs, Beaten
- 4 Cups Half & Half
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- As Needed Nonstick Vegetable Spray
Orange Cream Cheese Butter (makes enough to serve a 9" x 13" Pain Perdu Casserole)
- 2 Sticks Salted Butter, Softened
- 2 TBSP Powdered Sugar
- 4 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
- 1 TBSP Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice
- 1 TBSP Orange Zest
Caramel Pecan Smear
- Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes and cool to room temperature.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- 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.
- Remove casserole from the oven and allow to rest 10 minutes.
- 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.
- Cut portions as desired and top with the Orange Cream Cheese Butter.
Orange Cream Cheese Butter
- Beat all ingredients together until light and fluffy.
Notes
- Makes one 9" x 13" casserole and feeds 6 to 8 persons
Nino Salvaggio https://www.ninosalvaggio.com/