It's always one of the most loved dishes at breakfast or brunch. This version, Maple Blueberry Overnight French Toast Bake is loaded with real maple syrup, spices and fresh blueberries.
Tear the 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.
Use a zester to to zest 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: If you are using fresh blueberries you can sprinkle them over the bread pieces now. Using frozen berries? Save these, we'll add them after the overnight chill.
Make the egg batter:
Beat the eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in the half-and-half and the milk. Then whisk in the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, cardamom and 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. Then 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 15-20 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 2 tablespoons of the juice into a small dish. Add the 1 remaining tablespoon of maple syrup into this juice. Drizzle the mixture evenly over the hot French toast bake.
Serve the French Toast Bake while it's hot! Any leftovers can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat portions in the microwave, or wrap the pan in foil and rewarm it in the oven.
Notes
The overnight rest is important for this recipe, as 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!