French Toast" Napoleon with Maple Syrup, Pecans and Ice Cream

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Slice the bread into 1/2-inch slices and remove crusts. Use a glass or a biscuit cutter to cut out circles from the middles. Melt about a half a stick of butter in small skillet. Spoon off all the milky solids from the top to clarify the butter. In another large skillet, add about half of the clarified butter and brown the bread rounds on each side, adding more butter as needed. Keep finished slices warm in the oven while the remaining slices are prepared, repeating the process. Crush the toasted pecans and heat with the maple syrup and cinnamon in a small saucepan until steaming. Stack the browned bread slices, 3 high, alternating with a spoonful of hot pecan maple syrup between each layer. Top stacks with scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle pecan maple syrup on top.