Blueberry Strawberry French Toast Casserole
Try this Blueberry Strawberry French Toast Casserole recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Blueberry Strawberry French Toast Casserole recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 12 slices day-old french or italian bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese cut into 1 inch cubes (can use light)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberries sliced
- 12 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups milk (i used almond milk)
- Carbohydrate 20.9475515972999 g
- Cholesterol 3.0503125013081 mg
- Fat 1.27749879216716 g
- Fiber 0.869600028041112 g
- Protein 0.284603375006064 g
- Saturated Fat 0.739333500313794 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (80g)
- Sodium 9.88110000464448 mg
- Sugar 20.0779515692588 g
- Trans Fat 0.119735025034546 g
- Calories 94 calories
Step-by-step
- Spray a casserole dish or 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Arrange half the bread cubes in the dish, and top with cream cheese cubes.
- Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries and 1 cup strawberries over the cream cheese, and top with remaining bread cubes.
- In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and syrup.
- Pour over the bread cubes.
- Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the bread cube mixture from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Cover, and bake 30 minutes.
- Uncover, and continue baking 25 to 30 minutes, until center is firm and surface is lightly browned.
- In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and water.
- Bring to a boil.
- Stirring constantly, cook 3 to 4 minutes.
- Mix in the remaining 1 cup blueberries.
- Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, until the blueberries burst.
- Stir in the butter, and pour over the baked French toast
Allowing the assembled bread and custard to rest in the refrigerator overnight transforms the structure, granting the dense interior enough hours to fully absorb the liquid without dissolving into mush. Developed out of pragmatic nineteenth-century American home economics to feed large households efficiently without standing over a griddle, this style of baked breakfast relies entirely on chemical absorption and steady heat. Working with fresh seasonal berries requires careful consideration of moisture content, as frozen alternatives release significantly more water during the baking process and can compromise the crust.
- Day-old French or Italian bread is structurally mandatory; fresh sandwich bread lacks the gluten network and dry crumb necessary to withstand twelve beaten eggs and two cups of milk without disintegrating entirely.
- Swapping dairy milks for plant-based options like almond milk alters the protein coagulation during baking, meaning the casserole may require an additional five minutes in a 350 degree F oven to achieve a completely firm center.
- Cutting the cream cheese into uniform one-inch cubes ensures even distribution throughout the layers rather than melting into greasy pockets.
- Simmering the cornstarch, sugar, water, and blueberries for exactly ten minutes activates the thickening properties of the starch, creating a glossy sauce that clings to a spoon instead of running thin across the plate.
Butter stirred in at the very end of the sauce reduction gives the glaze a glossy sheen and a rounded mouthfeel. Rest the baked casserole for ten minutes before slicing to let the starches set firmly.
