Make-Ahead Spiced Pumpkin French Toast

After making pumpkin fudge the other day (which only uses  1/4 cup of pumpkin) I was left with almost a whole can of pumpkin to use up.  Luckily, I adapted our regular make-ahead french toast casserole by adding pumpkin to it. Genius??... Or... was this a case of necessity being the mother of invention??  Either way, the outcome was excellent!

Over the weekend I picked up a day-old french bread form a local sub shop, --only .50!!  So, needless to say, I was in business... My make-ahead, Spiced Pumpkin French Toast was so going to happen.

To make the french toast even more decadent, I pulled together some warm maple-butter syrup... it was so delicious, the perfect addition to an already great Sunday morning breakfast.

Just for kicks... I used up the last of the whipping cream... I mean --really, once you go for it, --go all the way... 

So, I whipped up (literally) a small batch of cinnamon whipped cream.  I even beat it by hand with a whisk... I thought maybe whisking could be my morning "exercise" and maybe I might off-set some of the decadent caloric intake I was about to enjoy...

My family ate the spiced pumpkin french toast while it was still piping hot... they gobbled it right up.
I thought the flavor was even better after it had cooled off significantly... it was still warm... but not hot... I could really taste spices and the subtle pumpkin flavor.  The next time I make this... (...and I have already had requests) I will let the casserole rest longer after baking. While it rests, I will pull together the rest of  breakfast... maybe do some extra exercises.

The recipe follows:  

MAKE-AHEAD SPICED PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST with MAPLE BUTTER SYRUP  & CINNAMON WHIPPED CREAM

1 french bread or loaf, sliced.  (I used day-old Jimmy Johns --only .50 bonus!)
1 8X8 buttered baking dish

Slice bread and lay neatly into a buttered baking dish, set aside.

***
1 can of pumpkin
OR (1 nearly full can if using leftover pumpkin from the fudge recipe) Libby's 100% pumpkin is what I use.
6 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar

Mix above ingredients together, until smooth.  Pour over sliced french bread.  If bread floats to surface, gently push under with a spoon, to help the bread become saturated.  Once bread is evenly moistened with the pumpkin mixture, cover and refrigerate overnight.

***
Pecan Crumb Topping
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
pinch of salt
4 TBS softened butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Mix together, until it looks like large crumbs.  Set aside.
***
Bake in a 350 degree oven covered with aluminum foil for 40 minutes.  After 40 minutes, remove french toast from the oven, cover with pecan crumb topping and return to the oven uncovered for an additional 15 minutes or until the french toast is light brown, puffed up and reaches and internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

***
Serve with warmed maple~butter syrup and cinnamon whipped cream.

Maple~Butter Syrup: Add 3 TBS. of butter to 1 cup of real maple syrup.  Warm in a pan, on low heat, stirring regularly to incorporate the butter.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream:  Using 3/4 cup of heavy cream, add 2 TBS of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.  Whisk until thickened--or use a mixer, beat until thickened. (I just needed the mini-workout)

As it urns out, this is a GREAT, make-ahead, company-worthy, breakfast dish.  If you are having guests this fall or for Thanksgiving... this would be fabulous.

It is great warmed up as a left-over...We obviously couldn't eat the whole delicious pan of spiced pumpkin french toast, even though we did give it our best effort... I am happy to report it warms up beautifully in the microwave and the kids said it tasted just as yummy as it did Sunday morning.

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