Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Toast (Printable)

Bright flavors of lemon zest and blueberries meet hearty sourdough in a warm, baked dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Bread & Fruit

01 - 1 loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (approximately 14 oz)
02 - 2 cups fresh blueberries
03 - Zest of 1 large lemon

→ Custard

04 - 6 large eggs
05 - 2 cups whole milk
06 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
09 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
11 - Juice of 1 lemon

→ Topping

12 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds
13 - 2 tbsp turbinado sugar

→ For Serving

14 - Powdered sugar for dusting
15 - Maple syrup or lemon curd

# How To Make It:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Layer half the sourdough cubes in the dish. Sprinkle half the blueberries and half the lemon zest over the bread. Repeat with remaining bread, blueberries, and zest.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice until smooth.
04 - Pour the custard evenly over the bread and blueberries. Press down gently so bread absorbs the liquid.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for optimal results.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
07 - Sprinkle sliced almonds and turbinado sugar over the top of the casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, or until puffed, golden, and set in the center.
09 - Let rest for 10 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. Serve warm with maple syrup or lemon curd.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can assemble it the night before and bake in the morning, making hosting feel effortless instead of chaotic.
  • It tastes fancy and intentional while being easier to execute than a stack of individual French toasts.
  • The sourdough's subtle tang keeps this from tasting too sweet or one-dimensional, so even people who skip dessert will come back for seconds.
02 -
  • If you skip the overnight chill and try to bake it immediately, the center will be custardy and loose while the edges overcook—patience truly changes everything here.
  • Frozen blueberries release more liquid than fresh ones, so if you use them unthawed, reduce the milk by two tablespoons to keep the custard from becoming too thin.
03 -
  • Cut your sourdough into even-sized cubes so they cook and absorb custard at the same rate, which prevents some pieces from being dense while others are too soft.
  • Always zest your lemon before you juice it, because trying to zest a juiced lemon is messy and frustrating in ways I've learned the hard way.
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