By Christmas was a long warm day full of food and the low sound of James's football game in the background and Gloria in her chair wearing the wool throw I gave her and looking entirely satisfied with the world, which is the best thing I can give her and the thing I try to give her every Sunday.
The Christmas Eve ham was the best thing I have made this year. The cloves, the crosshatch, the lacquered glaze: everything I had been imagining since October showed up exactly as I hoped. I pulled it from the oven and it looked like a photograph and smelled like the holidays made edible. James said well twice, which is the most I have heard him say well in a single evening in eight years.
Christmas morning I made my cream cheese French toast casserole again, the one that has become its own tradition now in its second year. Brioche, custard, maple syrup, strawberries. James called it the fancy one in a tone of appreciation. I made coffee and we opened gifts and Gloria wore her new slippers immediately and did not take them off all day, which I noted as a success.
New Year's is Friday. I will be at home again with Biscuit and good leftovers and the television on low, and I will be glad for the quiet after this full year. Twenty-three is going out better than it came in. I think twenty-four is going to be something good. I do not have evidence for this. It is just the feeling I have, standing in the kitchen on the last night of December, which is as good a place as any to decide what next year will be.
The cream cheese version I made this year leaned sweeter and fruitier than ever, and somewhere between James calling it “the fancy one” and Gloria padding around in her new slippers, I realized this casserole has officially earned its place as a Christmas morning institution. If you want to bring that same warmth to your own table — the kind that fills the kitchen while gifts are being opened and coffee is still hot — this baked blueberry-mascarpone French toast is exactly where to start. It comes together the night before, which means Christmas morning you get the glory without the scramble.
Baked Blueberry-Mascarpone French Toast
Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus overnight rest) | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes + overnight | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche or challah bread (about 14–16 oz), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese, softened
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the baking dish. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Spread half the bread cubes in an even layer across the bottom of the dish.
- Dot with mascarpone. Drop spoonfuls of the softened mascarpone evenly over the first layer of bread, then scatter half the blueberries on top. Add the remaining bread cubes over everything.
- Make the custard. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined and smooth.
- Soak the casserole. Pour the custard evenly over the layered bread, pressing down gently so the bread absorbs the liquid. Scatter the remaining blueberries over the top and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
- Preheat and bake. When ready to bake, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 45–55 minutes, until the top is golden and the custard is set in the center with no jiggle.
- Rest and serve. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with warm maple syrup on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 13g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 44g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 310mg