Baked french toast

1 loaf French bread, cut diagonally 1" thick -stale/day old or oven dried works best

6 eggs
1 cup milk

1 cup half and half

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or more to taste- I sprinkle til it looks good and cinnamon-y it is a fave spice of mine

3/4 cup butter

1 1/3 cups brown sugar

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange the slices of bread in the bottom. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over bread slices, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees

The bread should be soaked through... whip up a little more milk and egg mixture if it is too dry.

Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes.

While casserole is baking prepare the sauce-
in a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup; heat until bubbling. Pour over bread and egg mixture.

Uncover, pour the sauce on top and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.