Begin by ensuring your brioche bread is stale, leaving it out overnight to dry or heating it in a low oven at 200°F for 30-40 minutes.

In a blender, combine the very ripe bananas, brown sugar, half & half, eggs, vanilla bean paste, ground cinnamon, salt, and dark rum. Blend until smooth.

Gently dip each slice of stale bread into the custard, coating both sides well. Soak for about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side.

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the French toast uncovered for 40-45 minutes until the edges are puffed and the top is golden brown.

While the French toast is baking, melt salted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the sliced bananas for about 2-3 minutes until golden.

Stir in brown sugar and dark rum and let the mixture simmer for another 2-3 minutes until thickened.

Once the French toast has finished baking, remove it from the oven and drizzle the warm banana sauce generously over the top. Sprinkle with pecans and serve with whipped cream.