Each chunk of blueberry French toast casserole is filled with texture and tasteā¦ from the mushy custard-soaked bread and juicy blueberries to the crisp brown sugar streusel on high. This make-ahead breakfast casserole advantages from an in a single day relaxation within the fridge, so all it is advisable do within the morning is pop it within the oven.
I initially printed this recipe in 2015, and Iāve since up to date it to incorporate new photographs and further success ideas. This blueberry French toast casserole has develop into certainly one of my most-loved make-ahead breakfast recipes for a motive.
In truth, this recipe is such a fan favourite, that it deserved a spot in print! Youāll additionally discover a model of this recipe in my cookbook, Sallyās Baking 101.
I at all times thought nothing might beat the odor of do-it-yourself cinnamon rolls coming from the kitchen. Till I made a pan of this blueberry French toast casserole.
This make-ahead recipe is finest made a day upfront. Do all of your slicing, whisking, and mixing the day earlier than. Then high with a straightforward crumb streusel earlier than baking it the subsequent morning. Far more interesting than standing over your griddle making particular person slices of French toast!
The result’s a breakfast casserole with layers of taste and texture: mushy custardy bread, bursts of blueberries, and a crisp brown sugar streusel on high. The odor alone will carry everybody into the kitchen.
Whether or not youāre planning Christmas breakfast, Easter brunch, Momās Day, or a weekend household breakfast, this in a single day French toast bake is at all times a success.
Why Youāll Love This Make-Forward Breakfast
- Make-ahead pleasant: Assemble the evening earlier than and bake within the morning
- Good for brunch: Feeds a crowd with minimal effort
- Nice texture: Delicate custard-soaked bread with crisp streusel topping
- Juicy bursts of berries: Contemporary or frozen blueberries work
- Straightforward to customise: Strive different berries or seasonal fruit
One reader, Carole, commented: āThe most effective French toast casserole I’ve ever madeāand Iāve made a number of! My household liked it. ā ā ā ā ā ā
One other reader, Michelle, commented: āI made this for Easter brunch. It was sooooo good! I wasnāt certain in regards to the blueberries at first, nevertheless it was scrumptious! Everybody liked it! It was the one dish everybody went again to for seconds. Positively suggest making this! ā ā ā ā ā ā
One other reader, Cieta, commented: āI’ve been making this recipe for 10 years now. Thanks! It’s at all times the most well-liked brunch merchandise, one of the best! ā ā ā ā ā ā
What’s the Greatest Bread for Blueberry French Toast Casserole?
Bread is the muse of this recipe, so select one thing sturdy and flavorful. Nice choices embody:
- Challah
- Brioche
- Sourdough
- French bread
- Artisan bread
Bread to keep away from: Keep away from flimsy sliced sandwich bread as a result of it tends to crumble as soon as itās been soaked within the custard.
Success Tip
No matter sort of bread you select, be certain that itās barely stale and crusty. Slice it into cubes and let it sit for a few day earlier than utilizing.
Why?
Barely stale bread works finest as a result of it absorbs the egg combination extra simply. If the bread cubes donāt soak up all of the custard, your casserole will find yourself with a dry high and a soggy backsideānot ideally suited! We suggest utilizing day-old bread for do-it-yourself brioche French toast for a similar motive.
If you happen to forgot to let it sit out and your bread is recent, all will not be misplaced. Dice it and toast it briefly within the oven to dry it out.
Right hereās Every part Else You Want
After you’ve got your barely stale cubes of bread, whisk collectively the custard.
- Blueberries: You need to use both recent or frozen berries right here, no matterās handy!
- Eggs: You want 8 giant eggs.
- Milk & Heavy Cream: I exploit entire milk on this recipe, however you should utilize lower-fat or nondairy milk if mandatory. Add a little bit of cream, too, as a result of it makes for a richer, creamier custard.
- Brown Sugar: With its greater molasses content material, brown sugar is the only option for sweetening this breakfast bread pudding.
- Lemon Zest: A bit of brightness that makes the blueberries pop.
- Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon, & Salt: The flavour-enhancers no French toast casserole needs to be with out.
Brown Sugar Streusel Topping
The crumb topping is what actually takes this casserole from good to unbelievable.
Whereas itās a easy combination of simply 4 elementsābrown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butterāwhen baked, it creates a flippantly crisp, buttery topping that contrasts superbly with the mushy custard-soaked bread.
Itās fast and straightforward, and just like how I make the crumb topping for espresso cake. Use a pastry blender (or two forks) to chop chilly cubed butter into the dry elements. You possibly can chill this in a single day, too, then sprinkle it on the casserole simply earlier than baking.
What to Serve With Blueberry French Toast Casserole
Serve your blueberry French toast casserole with maple syrup, extra recent berries, do-it-yourself blueberry sauce topping, or a beneficiant dusting of confectionersā sugar.
As a result of this dish is good and wealthy, it pairs properly with one thing savory. Good brunch pairings embody:
Right hereās a shortcut for creating āstaleā crusty bread for French toast casserole: Unfold the bread chunks on a lined baking sheet and toast in a 300Ā°F (149Ā°C) oven for 10 minutes. Your bread is now barely dried out and prepared to take in all that egg custard.
Sure. Rather than the blueberries, strive strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. Or strive a medley of berries as I do for berries & cream French toast casserole. Within the fall, strive it with cranberries or thinly sliced apples or pears.
Sure, you’ll be able to omit the berries & lemon zest for a basic/plain French toast casserole. If in case you have a replica of Sallyās Baking 101, see web page 206 (French Toast Casserole: 3 Methods) for a gingerbread variation good for the vacations!
You donāt want to arrange the casserole upfront, however I extremely suggest you do. It might want to relaxation for at the very least 3 hours, however in a single day is finest. This enables the bread to actually absorb the custard. Each you and your blueberry French toast casserole can then get eveningās relaxationā¦ itāll see you within the morning!
Description
This unbelievable blueberry French toast casserole is made with mushy custard-soaked bread, candy blueberries, and a buttery brown sugar streusel topping. The casserole advantages from sitting within the fridge in a single day earlier than baking, so this is a superb make-ahead breakfast recipe! This recipe can also be in my cookbook, Sallyās Baking 101.
- Grease a 9Ć13-inch pan or any 3.5ā4-quart baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Unfold the cubed bread within the pan and sprinkle evenly with blueberries. Put aside.
- In a big bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon zest, and salt till mixed. Pour over the bread. Cowl the pan tightly and refrigerate for 3ā24 hours. In a single day is finest.
- Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the chilly butter. Utilizing a pastry blender or two forks, lower the butter into the brown sugar combination till pea-sized crumbles kind. Cowl and refrigerate the topping for at the very least quarter-hour or as much as 1 day. Chilling it helps make sure that it gainedāt sink into the casserole.
- Take away the casserole from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10 to fifteen minutes when you preheat the oven to 350Ā°F (177Ā°C).
- Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the casserole. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Cowl loosely with aluminum foil and proceed to bake till the middle seems set, 25 to 35 minutes extra.Ā
- Cool the casserole for five minutes earlier than serving. Retailer tightly coated within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
Notes
- Make Forward & Freezing Directions: Put together the topping upfront, cowl tightly, and retailer within the fridge for as much as 1 day. Sprinkle over the soaked bread earlier than baking. For freezing, put together the recipe via step 4 (with out preheating the oven), and freeze for as much as 2 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge, then bake as directed. Baked casserole will be frozen for as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge and heat up in a 350Ā°F (177Ā°C) oven for 35 minutes or till heat within the middle.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): 9Ć13-inch Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk
- Half Batch: This recipe can simply be halved in an 8-inch baking pan or 9-inch baking pan. The bake time might be barely much less, round 30ā35 minutes.
- Bread: Day-old, crusty bread is ideal for French toast casseroles so it might absorb the egg custard. I usually use a loaf of challah bread that I slice and let sit out in a single day. If you happen to solely have recent bread, right hereās a shortcut for creating āstaleā crusty bread: Unfold the bread chunks on a baking sheet and toast in a 300Ā°F (149Ā°C) oven for 10 minutes.
- Fruit: As an alternative of blueberries, strive strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. Within the fall, strive cranberries or thinly sliced apples or pears. So many choices!
