French Toast Casserole

Holy crap!!! This was awesome!!!!! I had invited my mom over for brunch this morning, with the idea of making this dish—I forget now where the recipe came from—and we were all amazed by how flippin' good it tastes! Although, pretty much anything doused in real maple syrup is going to be delicious…

French Toast Casserole

1 baguette, sliced thin
2 c. heavy cream
3 eggs
2/3 c. pure maple syrup
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. pecans, coarsely chopped

1. Heat oven to 325˚.
2. Butter a 2 qt. baking dish.
3. Arrange sliced bread on two cookie sheets (you can crowd them as needed) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
4. In medium bowl, whisk cream, eggs, syrup, vanilla and salt.
5. Dip bread slices one at a time into egg mixture, allowing it to soak in a little.
6. Stand bread slices in rows in baking dish. Doesn't have to be too pretty.
7. Pour any leftover egg mixture as evenly as possible over the top of the bread. Sprinkle with pecans and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until set. Check the front of the dish and make sure that any egg batter gooey stuff is no longer liquidy.
8. Serve hot with butter and more syrup.

NOTES:
I'm trying to figure out how to make this and incorporate either fruit; or, a combination of cocoa and ricotta...like a tiramisu breakfast casserole...I know, brilliant, huh?!