Mothers Day Brunch Blueberry Toast (Printable)

Baked French toast with juicy blueberries and vanilla, ideal for a celebratory brunch gathering.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread Base

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (approximately 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

# Method:

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 mixing 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, pressing gently to ensure all bread cubes absorb the custard.
05 - Cover the baking dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably overnight for optimal flavor and texture.
06 - Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
07 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts if using. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the chilled casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until the casserole is puffed and golden brown. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil.
09 - Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You prepare it the night before, which means you actually get to enjoy your guests instead of standing sweaty by the stove.
  • The blueberries stay plump and juicy rather than turning into little raisins, creating actual pockets of flavor in every bite.
  • It feeds a crowd without that assembly-line exhaustion of making individual servings.
02 -
  • Overnight chilling isn't optional if you want that custard-soaked texture—rushing it to bake after 30 minutes leaves you with bread that's only soft on the outside.
  • Frozen blueberries actually work better than fresh for this because they release their juice slowly during baking, staining the custard a gorgeous purple instead of sinking to the bottom.
03 -
  • Use day-old bread if possible because fresh bread absorbs custard too quickly and becomes mushy rather than luxuriously custardy.
  • Don't skip the 10-minute rest after baking—it lets the casserole set so it slices cleanly instead of falling apart on the plate.
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