Overnight French toast has a jammy twist
Family brunch always begins with overnight French toast. It’s easy to assemble and beloved by everyone. We even make this simple, but indulgent dish, when renting vacation homes. The only special equipment needed is a 13-by 9-inch baking dish and an oven.
For this year’s Fourth of July family gathering, we will gild the top of the casserole with a glossy layer of jam. Fruit-juice sweetened fruit spread adds deep fruit flavor with less sugar than ordinary jam or preserves.
A couple of cups of fresh or frozen berries sprinkled between the layers add great flavor and texture to the finished dish.
Our refrigerator regularly holds a stock of nonfat milk plus nondairy oat or coconut milk, as well as half-and-half or heavy cream. The beauty of this recipe is that any of those milks work with minor changes in texture, sweetness and richness in the final dish.
I like to serve a square of the warm toast with a dollop of coconut yogurt and more fresh berries. Blueberry syrup will flow in honor of berry season.
Maple syrup and cane syrup also taste great if you’re craving extra sweetness. Golden chicken sausages, slices of Canadian bacon and wedges of fresh pineapple round out our brunch menu.
After the fireworks, serve a square of the warm toast casserole as dessert topped with a spoonful of whipped cream or ice cream. Leftovers reheat beautifully in the microwave.
JeanMarie Brownson is a chef, a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for “Dinner at Home.”