baked lemon & blueberry french toast

 

Happy Spring, friends!

Spring is spectacular here in Northern Virginia!

I am in awe every day at the bright colors, stunning flowering trees, daffodils, and tulips . . . and although I've taken a ton of photos over the last few weeks - they truly don't capture what the eye can see.

Spring has not only brought beauty to our landscape, but our markets are brimming with new fruits and vegetables. We've been enjoying sweet strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and asparagus - almost daily.

Spring also brought family to our neck of the woods!

We hosted family for almost 3 weeks. I had a few days in between visits to wash sheets and towels . . . and plan meals for the next family visit.

Do you plan meals when you host friends and family? I always do. It helps keep me organized, and provides a 'meal calendar,' of sorts. I would much rather spend my thoughts and energy with family and friends, rather than trying to figure out what to make for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

A breakfast, or brunch, dish that's always on my menu is Baked French Toast. It's fast and easy to prepare  . . . and delicious, too! Since we've had the sweetest blueberries lately, I've been adding lemons and blueberries to our french toast. I recently made a version using lemons and raspberries . . . and it was crazy pretty AND yummy!

Although the recipe calls for a combination of half-and-half AND milk to the custard base, if all you have is milk, then use what you have on hand. I highly recommend using whole milk though.

The combination of half-and-half AND milk makes for an extra rich custard, but a milk-only custard base is also delicious.

The addition of vanilla and lemon zest makes the custard smell heavenly . . . and adds to the deliciousness of this dish.

And the crumble streusel and maple cream cheese glaze . . . Well, it makes this otherwise SIMPLE and HUMBLE dish unique, extra special, and crazy yummy!

Enjoy, friends! I hope it becomes a favorite with your family, too!

lemon & blueberry baked french toast

with crumble streusel & maple cream cheese glaze

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

crumble streusel

1 stick unsalted butter, melted 

3/4 cup pure cane granulated sugar 

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt 

.     .     .     .     .     .     .
lemon & blueberry french toast 
1 loaf brioche or challah bread, 1-inch thick slices 

8 large eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup whole milk

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lemon

Dash salt

2 cups fresh blueberries

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

maple cream cheese glaze
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 - 8 ounce tub of whipped cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup pure maple syrup
.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Preparation

For the crumble topping

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over high heat until it begins to turn light golden brown.

Whisk in the sugar and cook until smooth.

Take the pot off the heat and add the flour and salt - and mix until clumps begin to form. Refrigerate the crumb mixture for 15 minutes.

For the lemon French toast batter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice Challah bread into 1-inch slices.

Butter a 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish. 

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt and lemon zest --- and beat with a whisk until blended, but not too bubbly.

Pour mixture into a shallow bowl.

Grab a slice of bread and submerge it in the custard. Soak with enough custard to cover both sides of the bread, then layer it in the prepared baking pan, overlapping the slices (pictorial here).

Repeat the process until the pan is full.

Sprinkle blueberries between, and on top of, slices.

Sprinkle the top with crumble streusel.

Bake until the top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes.

Serve with a drizzle of maple cream cheese glaze.

For the glaze

Either by hand or in a stand mixer, whisk together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Slowly pour the maple syrup into the cream cheese and butter mixture until combined and smooth.

Drizzle the glaze over the baked french toast.

Another amazing baked french toast recipe . . . 

                                                      baked pumpkin french toast

with cinnamon crumb streusel & maple cream cheese glaze

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blueberry buckle coffee cake

I found this beautiful magazine over the weekend, and fell in love with its stunning photos, garden inspirations, and recipes.

There was an entire section dedicated to blueberries! Look at this stunning Fruit Omelet and Blueberry Chutney. Aren't they gorgeous!?

I like making Sunday dinners special, and that typically includes adding a dessert to our menu.

So when I saw the magazine's photo and recipe for Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake, I had to make it . . . and I'm so glad that I did, because it was so good!

What makes this Buckle over-the-top delicious is its streusel topping. Isn't that what makes a traditional coffee cake so darn good anyway . . . the deep crumble top?!

Well, add a moist, tender crumb cake filled with blueberries under a lightly sweetened crumb topping . . . and you have a delicious Spring and Summer dessert.

blueberry buckle coffee cake

.     .     .     .     .     .

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup blueberries

powder sugar

streusel topping

.     .     . 

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 Tablespoons granulated sugar

4 Tablespoons butter

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 9-inch spring form pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper; butter the parchment paper.
Flour the paper and set aside.

*If you're lucky enough to have an iron skillet, then prepare the bottom and sides of the pan with 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl stir together the 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Using a pastry blender, cut in the 1/2 cup butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
In a small mixing bowl combine egg, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Add all at once to dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

Spread batter in prepared pan. Top with blueberries.

In a small mixing bowl stir together 1/2 cup flour and 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar.
Cut in the 4 Tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle over blueberries.

Bake for about 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. 
Remove spring form ring and sprinkle with powder sugar.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Serves 8 to 10

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