Blueberry breakfast bake is a make-ahead casserole that solves the problem of hosting breakfast without spending the morning in the kitchen. Sourdough cubes soaked overnight in a custard of eggs, half and half, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, with a full pint of blueberries pressed into every gap. Put it together the night before, cover, refrigerate, and bake it in the morning. The bread absorbs the custard as it chills and bakes into something between a bread pudding and French toast, with blueberries that burst in the oven and run their juice through the whole pan.

The sourdough is the ingredient that makes this different from a standard bread casserole. Its slight tang holds up against the sweetness of the blueberries and the custard without getting lost, and the crust pieces develop a slightly chewy exterior while the interior goes soft and custardy. A plain white sandwich loaf would work but the flavor would be one-note sweet. Sourdough is worth seeking out.

The custard base

Eight eggs, two cups of half and half, a quarter cup of packed brown sugar, half a teaspoon of cinnamon, a quarter teaspoon each of vanilla and salt, whisked together until smooth. The ratio of eight eggs to two cups of dairy is fairly rich, which is what gives this a custard-like texture rather than a watery baked bread. The brown sugar adds a molasses note that white sugar doesn’t have, and it pairs with the blueberries and sourdough in a way that white sugar’s pure sweetness doesn’t quite match.

The cinnamon and vanilla are present but quiet. This is not a heavily spiced dish; the blueberries and sourdough are the point, and the custard is the vehicle. Pouring the egg mixture over the cubed bread slowly, making sure each piece gets some liquid, is worth taking a moment on. Cubes that missed the pour will be dry in the finished casserole.

Assembly and the overnight soak

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Butter the 9×13 baking dish generously, then arrange the sourdough cubes across the bottom. Pour the custard over everything, distributing it across each cube. Then scatter the blueberries over the top, filling every gap and low spot in the dish. The blueberries should look like they’re covering the bread rather than sitting sparsely on top.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes, or overnight for best results. Overnight is the version worth making if you have the time: the bread fully absorbs the custard and swells, the flavors meld, and the casserole is more cohesive and custard-like in the center when baked. Thirty minutes is the minimum that works, producing something closer to a French toast bake than a bread pudding.

One note if you’re using a glass baking dish and soaking overnight: let the dish come to room temperature for twenty to thirty minutes before putting it into the oven. A cold glass dish going into a 450-degree oven can crack from the thermal shock. Ceramic and metal dishes don’t have this problem.

The bake

450 degrees, thirty-five to forty minutes. The high temperature is what gets the top edges and the exposed bread pieces crusty and caramelized while the interior stays soft and custardy. A lower temperature would cook it through but you’d lose the textural contrast between the crisp exterior and the soft center, which is the best part of this dish.

The casserole is done when the center is set and doesn’t wobble, the edges are browned, and a knife inserted in the center comes out with no raw egg. The blueberries will have burst and their juice will be running through the dish in purple-blue streams against the golden bread. Let it cool for ten minutes before serving; it’s extremely hot directly from the oven and sets up slightly as it cools, making it easier to serve in clean portions.

When to make it and who it’s for

This recipe appears on the table at holiday mornings, weekend brunch gatherings, and any situation where you want to feed a group of people a proper breakfast without being at the stove when they arrive. You do the ten minutes of assembly the night before, slide it into the oven when you wake up or forty minutes before guests arrive, and it’s done. The kitchen smells like blueberries and warm custard and vanilla, which is as good a way to greet people as any.

I grew up with savory breakfast most mornings, flatbread and eggs and olives, and sweet breakfast casseroles are something I encountered later. The ones worth making, in my experience, are the ones that don’t hide behind too much sugar or spice but let the actual ingredients do the work. Sourdough and blueberries baked in a simple custard is in that category. The bread does something unexpected in the oven, and the blueberries do something you couldn’t get from any other fruit. Serves 6. Leftovers reheat well in a low oven or microwave.

Variations for the dish

Swap blueberries for sliced strawberries, raspberries, or a mix of summer berries. A tablespoon of lemon zest stirred into the custard adds brightness that pairs particularly well with the blueberry version. A drizzle of maple syrup over the finished casserole at the table instead of powdered sugar gives it a different kind of sweetness. A handful of chopped pecans scattered over the top before baking adds crunch and a toasted nut note that works well against the custard.

Print Recipe

Make-Ahead Blueberry Breakfast Bake

Author: Yas Sine Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: American Courses: Breakfast, Breakfast Recipes Recipe Keys: B Blueberry B Brunch M Make-Ahead O Overnight

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 40 mins Rest Time 30 mins Total Time 1 hr 20 mins

Cooking Temp: 450  C Servings: 6

Best Season: Summer, Spring

Description

A make-ahead breakfast casserole of sourdough cubes soaked in custard and topped with a pint of blueberries. Assemble the night before, bake for 40 minutes in the morning. Serves 6.

Ingredients

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Servings

• 8 eggs
• 2 cups half and half
• ¹⁄₄ cup brown sugar packed
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• 18 oz sourdough loaf roughly cubed
• 1 pint fresh blueberries (about 2 cups)

Instructions

1. Generously butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Whisk together the eggs, half and half, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until smooth.
3. Arrange the sourdough cubes in the buttered baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, making sure to distribute it over each cube. Top with the blueberries, pressing them into every gap and low spot.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for best results.
5. When ready to bake: if using a glass dish that has been chilled overnight, let the dish come to room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes until the center is set, the edges are golden brown, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before serving..

Equipment

• 9×13 inch baking dish

• Large mixing bowl

• Whisk

• Plastic wrap

Note

Rest Time is the minimum 30-minute refrigerator soak; overnight is better and produces a more custardy result. If using a glass dish chilled overnight, let it come to room temperature before baking to avoid cracking. No nutrition data was provided for this recipe.

Keywords: blueberry breakfast bake, make-ahead blueberry breakfast, blueberry casserole, blueberry French toast bake

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