Mixed Berry French Toast Casserole

Louiie Victa
Louiie Victa
November 15, 2021
If you have company coming over for brunch, this French toast casserole fits the bill. A festive dish that is meant to be shared, it is mildly sweet with a crunchy topping and a custardy center. A lemon-ricotta cream dolloped on top balances out the richness and sweetness of the dish, no matter how much maple syrup you drizzle on top. This recipe was designed to showcase the Anova Precision Oven’s steam-bake feature, which makes it easy to turn out perfect custard-based dishes. With this casserole, you can skip the hassle of standing by the stove and pan-frying each individual slice of French toast. Just throw everything in your favorite baking dish and let the Precision Oven do the work. Notes: Feel free to switch up the fruit to use whatever you prefer. You can cut the soaking time down to 30 minutes if you’re in a hurry, but make sure to stir the bread cubes every 10 minutes or so to ensure they evenly absorb the custard mixture.
Serves
8
Prep Time
04:45
Cook Time
00:30
Mixed Berry French Toast Casserole
0
108
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
14 cups
cubed French bread
2 cups
whole milk
8 large
eggs
⅔ cup
brown sugar
1 Tbsp
vanilla extract, divided
1 tsp
ground cinnamon
1 cup
blackberries, divided (see note)
1 cup
blueberries, divided (see note)
1 cup
quartered strawberries, divided (see note)
1 cup
ricotta cheese
½ cup
powered sugar
Zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 Tbsp juice
Maple syrup, for serving
Steps

1. Begin Casserole Assembly

Thoroughly grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with butter. Add enough bread cubes to fill it three-quarters full.
Begin Casserole Assembly

2. Prepare Custard

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and the cinnamon until smooth. (Alternatively, blend the mixture in a blender.) Pour over the bread cubes in the baking dish.
Prepare Custard

3. Add Berries and Soak

Top the bread with half of the the blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight (see note).
Add Berries and Soak

4. Preheat the Oven

Rack
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 50%
Temp: 350°F
Heat: Rear

5. Make Lemon-Ricotta Cream

In a small food processor, combine the ricotta, powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and remaining teaspoon vanilla. Process until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate while you bake the casserole.
Make Lemon-Ricotta Cream

6. Bake Casserole

Rack
Unwrap the casserole and transfer to the oven. Bake until golden brown and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest until the baking dish is cool enough to handle but the casserole is still warm.
Bake Casserole
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 50%
Temp: 350°F
Heat: Rear
00:30 Timer

7. Garnish and Serve

Dollop the lemon-ricotta cream over the casserole. Top with the remaining berries. Serve with maple syrup.
Garnish and Serve
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