I always have leftover bread. Challah, french bread, sour dough. Generally, I make bread crumbs. But my freezer is full of bread crumbs. So, I am forced to cook and create. With all the rain we have been having, I am happily staying indoors. The weekends can sometimes be filled with way too many commitments. However, this past weekend, it was lazy days, matinees, board games, and lots and lots of cooking.
A big pot(a triple recipe) of my bolognese simmers on the stove, scones are flash freezing in the freezer(the perfect school day breakfast), carrot soup is pureed for a quick weekday lunch, and this baked french toast sends the smells of morning wafting though out my home.
When making a baked french toast, it is usually best to soak it ahead(overnight), similar to a bread pudding. But, Eli’s early morning request didn’t allow me to prepare. Instead, I assembled the casserole, covered it with plastic wrap, and let sit in the fridge for an hour. After an hour, I added the organic, frozen blueberries, sprinkled it with the streusel topping and baked it. An hour, overnight – it really doesn’t matter. This dish is good, hearty, and delicious. It’s sweet all on it’s own. No syrup required!
Enjoy!
Baked Blueberry French Toast
Ingredients
for the french toast
1/2 loaf of fresh challah or french bread
4 large organic, eggs
1 cup whole, organic milk
1/4 cup organic, heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sucanat (or whole cane sugar)
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup organic, frozen blueberries – not thawed
for the topping:
1/4 organice whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup sucanat (or other whole cane sugar)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. sea salt
2 oz. organic, unsalted butter
1/2 cup frozen, organic blueberries
Instructions
• for the french toast
• grease a small baking pan (I used a 7 x 10″), with a little butter.
• cut bread into cubes and put in the prepared pan.
• in a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cream, sucanat, and vanilla. whisk until incorporated.
• pour the egg mixture over the bread crumbs. with the palm of your hand, press the bread into the egg mixture. cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for an hour or overnight.
• make the topping
• in a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
• cut the butter in small cubes and mix into the dry ingredients with your fingers. cover and store in the fridge until ready to use.
to assemble and bake
• preheat oven to 350*. place casserole dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
• uncover plastic wrap and sprinkle blueberries evenly. scatter the streusel topping over the french toast mixture.
• bake for 40-50 minutes or until top is golden brown and the interior isn’t runny.
The Urban Baker / SusanSalzman.com
More French Toast Inspiration:
Caramel Bread Pudding – The Urban Baker
Baked Cinnamon French Toast – Two Peas and their Pod
Cinnamon French Toast – Technicolor Kitchen
Boozy Baked French Toast – Smitten Kitchen
Chocolate French Toast with Panera Bread – Sprinkle Bakes
I adore french toast.. I adore blueberries… I adore you!! Love this recipe and cant wait to make it for my family… I can almost taste it now! Yum!
I adore you, Amanda!
Blueberries and french toast – looks so totally yummy that I am saving this recipe to make when family comes!
Anne, this is so great for a crowd. Use whatever fruit you have. I just happened to have blueberries and it worked! P.S. sprinkle a bit of vanilla sugar on top -mmmmm
We just made a similar baked french toast! Such a great breakfast treat!
wowwww this looks out of this world delicious!
It is scary good! I like to mix this up and have been known to use a bit of bittersweet chocolate, topped with slivered almonds!!!
This is one of my favorite breakfast treats – so simple and so good!!! It’s always a hit when I make it for work!
It is the perfect breakfast! I never had baked french toast but I can honestly say that I looks good!
Susan, this baked french toast sounds decadent & amazing!! Especially with all those blueberries 🙂 xo
I just love challah bread. This baked french toast looks like custard!
Between the blueberries, the custardy french toast and the streusel,this is definitely breakfast fit for the king!
and Queen!
i always have left over bread too. never baked my french toast before looks so decadent and heavenly. perfect weekend brunch can’t wait to try your recipe 🙂
this could also be turned into a savory treat. omit the sugar and berries and add some sauted leeks, spinach, etc and you have a great treat!
I always find myself with leftover stale bread, this is a perfect way to use it up. I like anything that you can make ahead of time, it’s such a time saver in the mornings.
French toast is my FAVORITE breakfast ever. I beg for you to make me this OK?!
My son likes to have ciabatta around for sandwiches and I’ve made bread pudding like this with stale loaves (yeah, baked french toast, whatever, the recipe’s basically the same as old-fashioned bread pudding). I like the fact that it has eggs and milk (or a milk alternative) and not a whole lot of sugar. And even some fruit in this case. Makes for a decently healthy dessert.