Blackberry Baked French Toast

Can I just tell you all how FREAKIN' excited I was to be back in the kitchen after starting my full-time job back in the middle of December?!?!?!
I mean I've been in the kitchen, making dinners when I get home from work, but this weekend I was FINALLY able to make a recipe I can post to the blog!! It was SO relaxing and awesome to be back in my element!!
Especially the taking pictures and editing part! I LOVED it!!

I had plans to do it last weekend after finally getting a routine down with the family and getting the work schedule in order after having time off with all those holidays, but as luck would have it - I came down with that nasty achy, stuffy head, fever, so you can't rest flu.
It STUNK!!!!
But now it's over. Well, pretty much, anyway. Just some sniffles to speak of.
We've had a great time enjoying life as a family of three this weekend since our two older daughters are now away at college and our 15 year old son is still at home.
It's a wonderful thing that he now gets some one on one mom and dad time.
And I have to say that it's been an adjustment cooking for three. Fortunately though, he is a growing teenage boy who is in the beginning of his track season, so his appetite will be up and consequently I can just pretend we're back to being a family of four.

Our boy LOVES his French Toast and I often joke that if he were only to have three foods for the rest of his life, they would be Chicken Picatta, Pasta and French Toast. Oh, and I forgot Tacos. That's four.

So, I told him last night that I would be making this for breakfast this morning and he turned his nose up at me because I was putting blackberries in it.
INAGINE! Here I am a former, but still REALLY wanna be food blogger and he turns his nose up, at the same time giving me the evil eye like his mother doesn't know what the heck she's doin'!
Seriously?!
Work with me here, kid.
But nobody messes with his plain ol' French Toast.
I told him there was always cereal if he didn't like it.
Needless to say, he didn't have a problem eating it.

Adapted from Lovin' From the Oven: Cinnamon French Toast.


Blackberry Baked French Toast - serves four or two plus one very hungry teenage boy

Ingredients
1/2 loaf French Bread, cut into one inch cubes
6 ounces fresh Blackberries, halved
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar (6 tablespoons total)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) cold butter

Directions
Spray an 8 X 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Place the bread cubes and halved blackberries into a large bowl and lightly toss. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla.

Evenly pour mixture over the bread and blackberries.

Cover with plastic wrap and place into refrigerator to sit overnight.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly.

Cut butter into small pieces and with a pastry cutter or two forks, blend butter into mixture until it resembles coarse meal.

Place mixture into a plastic bag. Seal and refrigerate overnight. This step can also be done in the morning before placing baking dish into the oven.

Next morning...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Uncover the baking dish and sprinkle the butter mixture evenly around the top.

Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes. 45 minutes will allow for a softer result, 50 a firmer one. 

Serve with butter and additional maple syrup, if desired.

 

Bake uncovered for 45 - 50 minutes depending on the desired outcome of the French Toast: 45 minutes will yield a softer, soggier result, and an hour will be more firm. I cooked it for 52 minutes and it was still a bit jiggly, so I opted for 5 minutes more and it turned out perfectly.

Serve warm with butter and maple syrup if desired.

I rate everything I make on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best and this Blackberry Baked French Toast earned 4 rolling pins! The boy LOVED it!! 

*snicker, snicker* I knew he would.

When the heck is that kid going to trust his momma?!

My camera battery ran out just as I was taking the last few pictures and I had wanted to take more, but alas, breakfast was G-O-N-E before my battery had finished charging.

hmph

I'm really glad I added the blackberries to it because it gave it some great flavor.It would be good plain, but it was quite delicious and will DEFINITELY be made again. And again. And again.

I'm sure when our daughters come home for break I'll have to make a 9 X 13-inch dish of it.

I also think it'd be really good with blueberries, too! 

It's great to be back with you all!

Thank you for continuing to visit in my absence, it means SO very much!!

I hope to get on a regular blogging schedule very soon!

I give you all BIG baking hugs and muffins!!