The Most Decadent Breakfast: Caramel-Banana-Pecan Bread Casserole

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

pecans

🥗Healthier: walnuts

💰Cheaper: almonds

Walnuts are often less expensive than pecans.

Arrange about nine cups of cut up French bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking pan.

Bake the bread cubes in a 300-degree Fahrenheit oven for five minutes.

Stir the cubes and continue baking them until they're golden, which should take another five to seven minutes.

Remove the bread crumbs from the oven and allow them to cool.

Line a 3-1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker with a disposable slow cooker liner.

Arrange the toasted bread cubes on the bottom of the slow cooker.

In a large bowl, pour two cups of half and half.

Add three eggs, a quarter cup sugar, one tablespoon of vanilla, half teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and an eighth teaspoon of nutmeg to the bowl.

Whisk everything together until combined.

Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and use the back of a spoon to press the bread cubes down so that they are moistened completely.

In a medium bowl, place two tablespoons of butter and add a quarter cup of packed brown sugar.

Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the sugar until it forms pea-sized pieces.

Stir in one cup of coarsely chopped and toasted pecans.

Sprinkle the pecan mixture on top of the bread cubes in the slow cooker.

Cover the slow cooker and cook the casserole on low for four to five hours.

To check for doneness, insert a knife into the center; if it comes out clean, the casserole is done.

Remove the liner from the slow cooker and allow the casserole to cool for 30 minutes.

In a medium-sized heavy saucepan, place 3/4 of a cup of packed brown sugar for the caramel banana sauce.

Add a half cup of whipping cream, a half cup of butter, and two tablespoons of light colored corn syrup to the saucepan.

Stir the ingredients together and place the pan over medium-high heat.

Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking it occasionally.

Reduce the heat to medium and boil the sauce gently for three minutes, then remove it from the heat.

Stir in one teaspoon of vanilla and pour the sauce into a small bowl to cool.

Just before serving, stir in one thinly-sliced banana into the sauce.

Spoon a little of the sauce over each serving of the casserole.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens