Blueberry French Toast Casserole
One of the best-loved dishes breakfast and brunch dishes! Blueberry French Toast Casserole is an overnight recipe sweetened with classic New England flavors—maple syrup and fresh blueberries.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 443kcal
Ingredients
- 16 ounces sweet bread, like challah, brioche, or Portuguese sweet bread
- butter (to grease the baking dish)
- 1 medium naval orange (you will use the zest and juice)
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (See the note below)
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup half-and-half
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 pinch ground or grated nutmeg
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon pure Vermont maple syrup, divided
Instructions
Layer ingredients in the pan:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Tear the 16 ounces sweet bread, like challah, brioche, or Portuguese sweet bread into small pieces, roughly 1½ to 2 inches in size. Spread the pieces on a large baking sheet. Bake the bread for 10 minutes; take the pan out, stir the bread pieces around, then pop them back in the oven for 5 more minutes. Remove the bread and let it cool a little.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish, bottoms and side with the butter. Spread the toasted bread pieces out in the pan.
- For the 1 medium naval orange : use a zesting tool or rasp to grate the orange peel over the bread in the pan. (This will yield about 1½ tablespoons of zest.) Save the orange—you will need the juice for after the dish is baked.
- NOTE for the 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen: If you are using fresh blueberries, sprinkle them over the bread pieces now. If you are using frozen berries, wait: you'll add them after the overnight chill.
Make the egg batter:
- Beat 8 large eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in the 1 cup half-and-half and the ½ cup milk. Then whisk in the 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom and 1 pinch ground or grated nutmeg, and be sure the spices are well distributed. Finally, stir 1 cup of the Vermont maple syrup into the batter.
Assemble then refrigerate the dish:
- Pour the egg batter slowly over the bread pieces in the pan—slowly, so that you can get every piece of bread throughout the dish soaked with the batter. If any pieces get missed use a spoon to push them down into the liquid. When all of the batter is added, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. (Or for at least 8 hours.)
Bake the dish:
- Preheat the oven to 325° F. Remove the plastic wrap.
- NOTE: if you're using frozen blueberries, sprinkle them evenly over the bread pieces now.
- Cover the pan with foil. Bake the dish for 40 minutes. Then, remove the foil and return the pan to the oven. Bake it for 15 to 20 minutes longer until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pan to a cooling rack.
- Get the orange you saved and squeeze the juice into a small dish. Measure out 2 tablespoons of this juice. (Discard or drink any leftover juice!) Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup into this juice.
- Drizzle the mixture evenly over the hot French toast casserole.
- Serve the Blueberry French Toast Casserole Bake while it's hot!
Store:
- Any leftovers can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Reheat:
- Reheat portions of the casserole in the microwave. Or cover the casserole in the pan with foil. Rewarm it in a 350°F oven.
Notes
- The overnight rest is important for this casserole, because it lets the bread soak up the batter and creates a creamy texture. Be sure to plan for this time when you get ready to make the recipe.
- If you're using fresh blueberries you can add them before the dish gets refrigerated. However, frozen blueberries should be added right before baking—otherwise they'll thaw and release juice into the dish turning everything purple!
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 256mg | Sodium: 478mg | Potassium: 338mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 639IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 3mg
