Blueberry-Banana and Praline French Toast Casserole
[Vegan]

For the Praline Topping

1. Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add brown sugar and syrup. Stir and bring to a simmer.
2. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Stir in the pecans and turn off the heat. Leave the pot on the stove to keep warm or else the mixture will harden. If the praline mixture hardens, reheat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

For the French Toast Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch square casserole dish.
2. To assemble the French toast casserole, arrange one layer of baguette slices on the bottom of the casserole dish.
3. Top the bread with a single layer of banana slices. Sprinkle half of the blueberries over the bananas and drop spoonfuls of the praline topping over the blueberries, using about half of it. Add another layer of bread and bananas, and top with remaining blueberries. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour over the bread in the casserole, saturating the top pieces. Spoon on the remaining half of the praline topping.
5. Cover the dish with foil and place on a baking tray. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking. There should be liquid bubbling around the sides and corners when it’s done. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before serving.