French toast bread pudding is
comfort from your head to your toes. This recipe is all of the things we love about french toast - creamy, sweet, rich, cinnamon-y, and
warm warm warm - but it's soaked and stirred and baked in casserole form! Bread pudding is a go-to for me so often when I have a house
full of family or company because it serves as breakfast or dessert! It can be
served fresh out of the oven or easily reheated. And it just scratches all of
my comfort food itches! This french toast bread pudding is ladled with a rich berry maple
syrup that can be made ahead and reheated. You’ll want to make this for your
people when the temperatures drop and you need to feel warmth from the inside out!
FRENCH TOAST BREAD
PUDDING
with BERRY
MAPLE SYRUP
Serves 8 or more
1 (14-16 ounce) loaf of French
bread
8 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
Unsalted butter for the pan
-for the berry maple syrup-
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen
blackberries or blueberries, thawed
4 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons sugar
Pinch cinnamon
1 ½ cup maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 350F. Slice the
ends of the bread off and discard. Slice the bread into 1” slices, then cut
each slice into quarters. Put the cubed bread pieces into a large bowl. In
another bowl, whisk the eggs to combine. Whisk in the sugar until combined.
Then whisk in the milks, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Pour the cream mixture
over the bread cubes, stirring and folding them gently to soak well. Allow the
bread mixture to soak for 10 minutes, then stir and soak another 10 minutes.
Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 casserole dish or or deep oval
baker. Pour the mixture into the dish, carefully distributing it evenly in the
pan. Set the pan inside a larger pan filled with enough warm water to come up
about halfway. Loosely cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil,
increase oven to 375F, and bake another 10-15
minutes or until the french toast casserole is golden brown and puffed
up. The center should be moist and custardy but not sloshing wet. Carefully
remove from the oven, remove the pan from the water.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before
serving.
In a medium saucepan, combine
blackberries, lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil and allow to cook for
10-15 minutes, stirring gently on occasion until the juices begin to thicken a
little bit. Remove from the heat. Stir in pinch of cinnamon and maple syrup.
May make syrup a few days ahead, stored airtight in the refrigerator.
