Description
A make-ahead Christmas breakfast with cranberries, orange zest, and custardy bread. Refrigerate overnight before baking.
Ingredients
Scale
- Butter for greasing the pan
- 14 ounces (400 g) day-old French bread or challah, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, or frozen cranberries kept frozen
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for drizzling before baking
- Maple syrup, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Grease a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Add the bread and cranberries in two layers.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour evenly over the bread and gently press the bread into the custard.
- Cover and refrigerate 8–12 hours. Bake within 24 hours of assembly.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the pan, drizzle with the melted butter, and loosely tent with foil.
- Bake 30 minutes, remove the foil, and bake approximately 20–30 minutes more, until golden and set. The center must reach at least 160°F. Continue baking under foil if needed.
- Rest 10 minutes. Serve warm, with optional maple syrup on the side.
Notes
Editorial draft: not kitchen-tested. Chill 8–12 hours and rest 10 minutes after baking. Total elapsed time is about 9 hours 20 minutes to 13 hours 30 minutes; extra baking or optional bread drying adds time. Contains wheat, eggs, and milk.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50–60 minutes; longer if needed
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American