Blueberry Breakfast Casserole with Coconut
Blueberry Breakfast Casserole with Coconut
Whether hosting a Mother's Day brunch or just looking for a simple breakfast idea for your kids, casseroles are always a good choice. And when you add blueberries and coconut, you have a deliciously decadent treat to start your day. But the best part about this blueberry breakfast casserole recipe is that you can make it for fast prep work in the morning!
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What Do I Need to Make Blueberry Breakfast Casserole?
You won't believe how simple it is to make this overnight breakfast casserole. And since it's made with just a few simple ingredients, you can prep it with just a few minutes of work in the kitchen. To make a blueberry breakfast casserole, you'll need:
- Stale bread
- Blueberries
- Eggs
- Coconut milk
- Cinnamon
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Shredded sweetened coconut
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How Do I Make This Blueberry Breakfast Casserole?
Since this sweet breakfast casserole can be made beforehand, it's perfect for a holiday brunch! And once you see how simple it is to make, you'll want to prepare it for every get-together! Just follow these four easy steps to make your casserole right now.
Step One: Prepare the Bread
Start by tearing the stale bread into bite-sized pieces to make this simple French toast casserole. Then, spread the pieces in an even layer in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Top the bread pieces with a layer of fresh blueberries.
Step Two: Mix the Custard
The next step in this easy recipe is to whip up the French toast custard. Add the eggs, coconut milk, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until the eggs are smooth and the custard ingredients are well blended.
Step Three: Chill the Casserole
Pour the custard mixture over the top of the bread and press the pieces into the mixture until they're completely soaked. Then, cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
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Step Four: Bake the French Toast Casserole
When you're ready to bake your casserole, preheat the oven. Then, remove the dish from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Sprinkle the shredded coconut over the top of the dish, then place it in the oven to bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
What is the Best Type of Bread for French Toast Casserole?
The great thing about this simple make-ahead casserole is you can use any type of bread you want! And since it's best to use stale bread to make this breakfast dish, it's a great way to use leftover bread.
But if you're hoping to purchase bread to use in this dish, there are several excellent options to choose from, including:
- Brioche
- French baguette
- Croissants
- Texas toast
- Sourdough bread
No matter what type of bread you choose, using stale or slightly hardened bread is best to keep your casserole from getting too soggy. If you don't want to wait for your bread to get stale, you can speed up the process in several ways.
- Let the bread sit out overnight. Remove the bread from the wrapper or container and cut it into cubes. Place the cubes on the counter at room temperature and let them sit overnight to harden.
- Bake the bread. After cutting your bread into cubes, spread them in an even layer over a baking sheet. Bake them at 350 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes, until the bread is crusty but not yet browned.
Why is My French Toast Casserole Soggy?
There's nothing worse than cutting into a soggy casserole! Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to ensure that your breakfast casserole doesn't end up a soggy mess when you take it out of the oven.
- Start with stale bread. Since fresh bread soaks up liquid much more quickly than stale bread, you must use dried bread for this dish. The stale bread will prevent the casserole from becoming soggy as it cooks.
- Don't use too much liquid. The key to avoiding a soggy casserole is to ensure the right balance between bread and custard. After pouring the egg mixture over the top of the bread, make sure the custard doesn't overtake the bread. If there's too much liquid in the pan, try removing some of the excess custard or add more bread pieces.
- Don't undercook the casserole. While cooking the casserole for 50 minutes is a great starting point, you may need to continue cooking your dish if the center is still soft. If the middle of the casserole is jiggly when you remove it from the oven, continue baking until the dish is cooked.
How Long Do You Chill the Blueberry Breakfast Casserole?
The beauty of this simple recipe is that it can be made ahead of time. But if you're wondering how far in advance you can prepare this dish, the good news is that it can be kept in the fridge for up to 12 hours.
But if you want to store the casserole in the fridge for a shorter time, it can be baked after as little as four hours of chilling.
French Toast Casserole with Coconut
Ingredients
- 8 cups stale bread torn into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups blueberries
- 8 eggs
- 1-15 oz can coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
- Spray an 8X8 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Spread torn bread in an even layer in the prepared dish. Top with an even layer of blueberries.
- Whisk together eggs, coconut milk, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl.
- Pour egg mixture over the bread. Press down on bread pieces to make sure everything gets saturated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
- In the morning, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the casserole from the fridge, uncover, and top it with shredded coconut. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
- Serve topped with syrup, whipped cream, or powdered sugar.
Nutrition
