Jennifer Self’s Caramel Apple French Toast Casserole

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup brown sugar
3/4 cups butter
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. dark corn syrup
1 ½ cup toasted pecans (chopped medium)
1 ½ Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch
1 loaf French Bread (torn into pieces & spread out to dry for a couple of hours)
6 eggs, beaten
3 cups half-&-half (I used 1.5 cups skim milk and 1.5 cups half & half)
1 Tbs. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Salt
3 Tbs. Sugar
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

Combine 1st 3 ingredients, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until bubbly.
Pour into greased (buttered) 13 x 9 glass baking pan.
Sprinkle pecans evenly over caramel.
Arrange apple slices over pecans, covering entire dish.
Arrange pieces of bread over apples, filling all empty spaces.
Combine eggs, half-n-half, vanilla, and salt.
Pour over bread.
Cover and chill overnight.
Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over soaked bread.
Bake uncovered at 350 for 45-50 minutes until golden brown.