Baked Cranberry French Toast (breakfast casserole)
It's the perfect holiday breakfast and brunch dish (especially for Christmas morning) with fresh cranberries that add tanginess to an otherwise sweet preparation. It's simple to put together and can feed a crowd. And it's a great way to use leftover bread.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, to grease the dish
- 6 eggs at room temperature
- 2 cups whole milk at room temperature
- ¼ cup sugar or light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 12 slices challah bread, brioche or artisan bread hard crust parts removed if necessary
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries whole or chopped, or a mix
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar optional to sprinkle before serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a casserole dish with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.
- Whisk 6 eggs and 2 cups whole milk in a medium bowl until combined; don't beat much. Add ¼ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons lemon zest and 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Mix well.
- Cut 12 slices challah bread, brioche or artisan bread about 1 inch thick. Arrange them in the pan, side by side, fitting snugly or overlapping a little depending on the size of the pan.
- Scatter 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries on top and dot with ¼ cup unsalted butter in small pieces. Carefully pour the milk and egg mixture over the bread, moistening it completely.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the cranberries are soft and the bread is golden brown. The bread might puff and rise while baking but will deflate once it's out of the oven.
- Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar before serving for a sweet touch.
Notes
Type of bread: I like a brioche loaf (what I used for this post) as it's easier to cut even-sized pieces. But it really doesn't matter.
Sweetness: If you're serving it with maple syrup and powdered sugar, don't use more sugar than the specified amount unless you want a very sweet casserole. According to a reader, for those with a moderate sweet tooth, you can still cut down to 2 tablespoons.
Overnight casserole:
Soaking time: Cover the dish with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours but no more than 12 so it doesn't get soggy. This allows the bread to fully absorb the custard.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the casserole from the fridge while the oven preheats to take the chill off. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is set. It takes longer than a room-temperature dish. Flavorings: use another citrus, like orange zest, or a mix of spices like gingerbread spices instead of cinnamon. Add another fruit, like chopped apples, and use apple spice mix as flavoring. More custard: it will render more of a bread pudding. If you like a larger custard ratio to bread, increase it by all means! Make 1 and ½ recipes using 8 eggs, ½ cup more milk and 2 additional tablespoons of sugar. You can also use cubed bread instead of slices.
Soaking time: Cover the dish with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours but no more than 12 so it doesn't get soggy. This allows the bread to fully absorb the custard.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the casserole from the fridge while the oven preheats to take the chill off. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is set. It takes longer than a room-temperature dish. Flavorings: use another citrus, like orange zest, or a mix of spices like gingerbread spices instead of cinnamon. Add another fruit, like chopped apples, and use apple spice mix as flavoring. More custard: it will render more of a bread pudding. If you like a larger custard ratio to bread, increase it by all means! Make 1 and ½ recipes using 8 eggs, ½ cup more milk and 2 additional tablespoons of sugar. You can also use cubed bread instead of slices.
