CARAMEL APPLE FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar 
3 Tablespoons white Karo syrup 
6 Tablespoons butter 
(1 cup whole pecans) 
3 Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 
1/3 cup water 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons white sugar 
1 Tablespoon lemon juice 
1 Tablespoon corn starch 
12 slices Texas Toast or
1-inch thick cut french bread
12 ounces cream cheese 
6 eggs
1 cup milk 
1 cup whipping cream or half ní half cream 
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract 
2 teaspoons cinnamon
(or 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1 teaspoon nutmeg)
Directions
Grease generously 9"x13" glass pan.
Combine sugar, syrup, butter and boil in pan for one minute.
Pour and spread over bottom of greased 9x13 pan.
(Sprinkle with pecans.)
Combine apples, water, cinnamon, sugar, lemon juice
and cook, stirring constantly, in pan over medium heat
just until apples begin to soften.
Add corn starch and continue to stir until thickened.
Remove from heat.
Thickly spread cream cheese over 6 slices of bread and
place in single layer to cover caramel mixture in 9x13 pan
(cream cheese side up).
Distribute apple mixture over bread/cream cheese layer.
Cover with remaining 6 slices of bread.
Blend together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon and
gently pour over bread layers in 9x13 pan.
Cover and refrigerate overnight (not more than 24 hours). 
Remove cover and bake in 350 degree oven 60 minutes
until brown and slightly puffy.
Immediately invert each serving on plate, sprinkle with
powdered sugar, top with sweetened whipped cream
and garnish with pecans, cinnamon, or nutmeg.
Makes 6 servings.
NOTE: Fresh pears or peaches may be substituted
for apples with cinnamon/nutmeg seasoning preferred.
Fresh raspberries or strawberries may also be sprinkled
over apple mixture stuffing for additional color and flavor.