Mothers Day Baked Blueberry Toast (Printable view)

A rich baked French toast with juicy blueberries and warm vanilla notes for special brunch gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Bread Base

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 1 pound)
02 - 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Custard Mixture

03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Topping

10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 cup chopped pecans or almonds, optional
14 - Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange half the bread cubes evenly in the prepared dish. Scatter half the blueberries over the bread layer. Repeat with remaining bread cubes and blueberries.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and blueberries, gently pressing down to ensure all bread cubes are saturated.
05 - Cover the baking dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably overnight for optimal texture and flavor absorption.
06 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
07 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts if using. Sprinkle the mixture evenly across the top of the casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until puffed and golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
09 - Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Make it the night before and bake it fresh in the morning—zero morning stress, maximum impact.
  • Blueberries burst into jammy pockets throughout, and nobody can resist that combination of soft bread and fruit.
  • Feeds eight people from one dish, so you're actually ahead of the game instead of burning out over individual pieces.
  • The custard soaks into every corner, creating that restaurant-quality texture without any fussy technique.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight refrigeration if you have time—the bread needs those hours to fully absorb the custard, or you'll end up with dry patches and custardy pools instead of an evenly soaked casserole.
  • If you're baking it the same day, thirty minutes is the minimum, but the texture will be noticeably better if you give it longer.
03 -
  • If you're cooking for people with nut allergies, the pecans or almonds are completely optional—the casserole is delicious without them.
  • Use day-old or slightly stale bread if you can; it absorbs the custard more gracefully than fresh bread, which can fall apart.
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