Ultimate Bacon-Maple French Toast

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• dash salt
• dash cayenne pepper
• 1 loaf (1 pound) French bread, cut into 10 1-inch slices

Topping:

• 6 thick-sliced bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• maple syrup

Directions

1. Grease a 4 quart baking dish; set aside. 
2. In a large shallow bowl, whisk first 10 ingredients. Dip each slice of bread into egg mixture. Arrange slices in prepared dish. Pour remaining egg mixture over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 
3. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients. Spread over top. 
4. Bake, uncovered, 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with syrup.