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Creamy Baked French Toast Casserole with Berry Swirl

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A cozy and creamy baked French toast casserole featuring a rich custard soaked bread and a fresh, tangy berry swirl. Perfect for brunch or dessert, this easy recipe uses simple ingredients and delivers a comforting, luscious texture.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 loaf (about 12 ounces / 340 g) sturdy white bread or challah, cut into 1-inch cubes (day-old preferred)
  • 6 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
  • 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (150 g) frozen mixed berries, thawed slightly
  • Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
  • Unsalted butter for greasing the baking dish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish generously to prevent sticking.
  2. Cut the bread into roughly 1-inch cubes and spread evenly in the buttered baking dish. Some broken cubes are fine.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until smooth and slightly frothy, about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Slowly pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down gently with a spatula to help soak the bread. Let it sit for 10 minutes to absorb.
  5. In a small bowl, gently stir the thawed berries to break some but not all. Dollop spoonfuls of berries over the custard-soaked bread. Use a butter knife or skewer to swirl the berries carefully through the top layer without overmixing.
  6. Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden and set. A knife inserted in the center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
  7. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 30 minutes to prevent burning.
  8. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Notes

Use day-old bread to avoid sogginess. Let the bread soak in custard for at least 10 minutes for best texture. Gently swirl berries to create pretty ribbons without turning the mixture purple. Tent with foil if browning too fast. Can be made dairy-free by substituting coconut cream and almond milk, and vegan by using flax eggs. Gluten-free bread can be used for gluten-free version.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked French toast casserole, berry swirl, creamy custard, brunch recipe, easy breakfast, comfort food, berry dessert

Find it online: https://tomyumy.com/creamy-baked-french-toast-casserole-with-berry-swirl-easy-recipe/