Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Overnight Berry French Toast: Patriotic Breakfast

Overnight Berry French Toast Photo

My husband adores French toast. It's one of his favorite breakfasts, and whenever we head to a restaurant for brunch he immediately veers toward it, no matter where we're eating. My sons and I are more pancake people, but every once in a while I get a hankering for really good French toast.

The main problem with making French toast at home, I've found, is that it's harder to just pop out of bed and make than pancakes. I might be too particular, but you can't just pop out of bed and make French toast with any old bread you have on hand. It has to be really good bread, preferably a rich one like challah. And in the early morning hours, I need more than a few sips of coffee to get me to the store for my husband's hankerings.

Overnight Berry French Toast Picture

However, overnight French toast? A whole different story when it comes to planning. I can grab the ingredients before picking up the kids, assemble it after dinner, and then pat myself on the back when we wake up and have an amazing breakfast ready just as I'm pouring my second cup.

This overnight berry French toast is ideal for a weekend brunch or holiday celebration with a crowd, but it's easy enough to bake off on Monday morning so you have a warming breakfast to last the entire work week.

You can vary the kinds of fruit you use, and if you're in a pinch, frozen fruit will also work. Because the dish rests in the fridge overnight, the fruit will thaw perfectly for baking, and the accumulated juices will make the casserole that much tastier!

Overnight Berry French Toast Image

Don't want to use challah? Although I think it's the best bread for French toast, you can also use brioche or a nice sourdough loaf. Cinnamon swirl bread is also a great option! No matter the variety, your dish will be best if the bread is from a bakery, not the packaged bread aisle!

If you're looking for other fruity breakfast ideas, why not try this plum clafouti or these strawberry donuts?

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf of challah bread, 1.5 pound
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups whole milk
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups blackberries, or blueberries
  • 1 1/2 cups strawberries, diced
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes

Directions

  1. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
  2. Slice challah bread into cubes and put into a large bowl.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. 
  4. Pour egg mixture over the bread and stir to coat.
  5. Gently in blackberries, strawberries, and cream cheese.
  6. Pour mixture into prepared pan, making sure bread has been evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  7. When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator and preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap and bake for 40 minutes.
 


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