The Genius Way To Turn Baguettes Into A Sweet Breakfast For A Crowd

Making an impressive breakfast for a crowd can be hard. While there's nothing wrong with the classic eggs, pancakes, and hashbrowns, sometimes breakfast gets repetitive and you need some ways to switch up the classics. A breakfast casserole has this potential. But before you start judging the idea of feeding breakfast casserole to your guests, give it a chance! No one said this casserole was going to be mushy and bland. Next time you're cooking breakfast for a gathering, turn baguettes into stuffed French toast. 

In addition to being a twist on a breakfast classic, stuffed French toast casserole is perfect in many ways. First, it utilizes a whole baguette all in one go, so you don't have to worry about your extra baguettes becoming stale quickly if they're not consumed within the first day. What's more, is that this dish is elevated. No offense to pancakes and waffles, but having French toast for breakfast feels more sophisticated and chic. This is especially true if your French toast is stuffed with mascarpone cheese. Last of all, even if you won't admit it, it's nice to have something sweet for breakfast on special occasions.

French toast casserole is very easy to make, but by using a few quality ingredients everyone will think otherwise. Plus, it's prepared the night before — so you don't have to wake up extra early in the morning to get cooking. To make the dish, cut a baguette into slices about one-inch thick and transfer them into a casserole pan. Then, prepare the stuffing, which is the star of the show. Get creative with the different flavors, berries, and cheeses. For instance, whip Italian mascarpone with a bit of powdered sugar, then add fresh blueberries and scoop the cloud-like filling in between each slice of baguette.

Next, in classic French toast fashion, whip up an egg and milk mixture to give the baguette it's custardy quality. Stir in flavorings like vanilla and cinnamon, and pour the egg mixture directly over the filled baguette pieces. Then, cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, all you need to do is pop it into the oven. In order to prevent the tops of the bread from browning, cover the pan with foil about halfway through baking. Once it's set and cooked, dust the French toast with powdered sugar and toss a few more fresh blueberries on top. Serve it up with a large spoon, allowing your guests to scoop out the delicious slices.