Baked French Toast Pioneer Woman / Ree Drummond

Another winner by Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond. She hits breakfast out of the park with this french toast bake. You can make it ahead and pop it in the next day for Christmas, holidays, parties, sleepovers, brunches, etc. It is kid friendly and easy to make. It is caloric but in moderation it can be a delicious treat. Enjoy! ChefDLH

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 1 portion

Ingredients

• French Toast

•  butter, For Greasing
• 1  loaf  crusty bread (Sourdough Or French Bread)
• 8  whole eggs
• 2  cups  whole milk
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 2  tablespoons vanilla extract

• Topping

• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1⁄2 cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
•  freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
• 1⁄2 cup  cold butter, Cut Into Pieces
•  warm  syrup, For Serving (amount optional)
•  butter, For Serving (amount optional)
• 1  cup fresh blueberries, For Serving (optional)

Directions

1. For the French toast: Grease the baking pan with butter. Tear the bread into chunks, or cut into cubes, and evenly distribute in the pan. Crack the eggs in a big bowl. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover the pan tightly and store in the fridge until needed (overnight preferably). Or you can make it and bake it right away---delicious no matter what!
2. For the topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and some nutmeg in a separate bowl. Stir together using a fork. Add the butter and with a pastry cutter, and mix it all together until the mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge.
3. When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the casserole from the fridge and sprinkle the topping over the top. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture or for 1 hour-plus or more for a firmer, crisper texture.
4. Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with warm pancake syrup and sprinkle with blueberries.