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Sense & Edibility's Holiday Leftover French Toast Casserole

Holiday Leftovers Breakfast Casserole

Course: Mornings
Cuisine: North American
Keyword: breakfast casserole, cranberry-orange
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
soaking time: 1 hour
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 553kcal
Author: Marta Rivera
Use leftover rolls and this great Boozy Cranberry Sauce for this bright casserole.
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 pound day-old challah bread (brioche, dinner rolls, or Hawaiian bread)
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest (from 2 medium oranges), separated
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom optional
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 2 cups Boozy Spiced Cranberry Sauce (or other tart fruit preserves)

Orange Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice freshly squeezed

Instructions

Soak and Bake the Holiday Leftovers Casserole

  • Lightly grease a 9"x13" casserole dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F if you are baking the casserole the same day.
    Use a serrated bread knife to cut the bread into 1-1 1/2" cubes.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 tablespoon of the orange zest, milk, cream, granulated sugar, and the vanilla until smooth. 
  • In a separate smaller prep bowl, mix together the ground cinnamon, cardamom and salt, then add this spice mixture to the custard. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
  • Fold the bread into the custard.
    Makes sure the custard soaks into each cube of bread. Place the uncovered dish in the refrigerator to allow the bread to soak for at least one hour prior to baking.
  • Just before baking, scoop the Boozy Cranberry Sauce onto the top of the casserole, nestling the sauce in between the cubes of bread.
  • Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the casserole is golden brown and puffs in the center. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.

Make the Orange Glaze

  • Add the powdered sugar to a mixing bowl.
    Add a tablespoon of the orange juice to the sugar. Whisk until the glaze is smooth, adding more of the orange juice as needed to thin it out to your preferred consistency.
  • Stir in the remaining orange zest, if desired- anywhere from a teaspoon to all of the remaining zest. 
  • Once the casserole is fully baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes. 
    Drizzle a generous amount of the Orange Glaze over the casserole, then serve.

Notes

Overnight Option
After folding the bread into the custard, you can pour the mixture into the casserole dish, then cover it and put it in the fridge overnight (up to 8 hours) to bake in the morning.
Be sure to remove the casserole from the fridge prior to turning on the oven to give it some time to warm up.
This casserole will keep, refrigerated, for 3 days.
If you want to freeze, wrap the leftovers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and heat prior to serving again. 

Nutrition

Calories: 553kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 246mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 902IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 3mg