Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 12 slices home-style white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes, divided
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cold cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 12 large eggs
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• sauce:
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 tablespoon butter

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ready Time: 9 hrs 30 mins


• generously grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• arrange half the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. evenly distribute cream cheese cubes over the bread cube layer; sprinkle 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries atop cream cheese layer. layer the remaining bread cubes over strawberry layer.
• pour half-and-half into a blender; pulse for a few seconds. blend eggs into half-and-half until fully incorporated. add maple syrup and blend until smooth. pour mixture evenly over bread mixture. cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• remove baking dish from refrigerator 45 minutes before baking.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• bake the covered casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. remove aluminum foil and continue baking until french toast is puffed and golden brown, about 30 more minutes.
• stir sugar, water, and cornstarch together in a small saucepan. cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. mix 1 cup sliced strawberries into the sugar mixture; cook and stir until strawberries are softened, about 10 minutes. add butter and stir sauce until butter is melted.