Gourmet A Go-Go's Eye-Opening Blueberry French Toast

A friend of mine was recently complaining that I hadn't yet put up a recipe for French Toast on Lisa's Kitchen. Well, he won't be complaining now because I went out and made the most gorgeous and delicious French Toast that I've been meaning to make ever since coming across it the other day at Gourmet A Go-Go. A trip to the weekly Farmer's Market at the Covent Garden Market to pick up a loaf of bakery-fresh multi-grain bread and a few pints of the plump local blueberries that have just come into season was just the excuse to put it together — a small effort that was amply rewarded.

Not only is this delicious French Toast a warming and filling breakfast treat, it is baked instead of fried and can be completely prepared the night before so that all you have to do in the morning is pop it into the oven. That's my kind of morning preparation! Dress it up after it comes out of the oven with a few more fresh blueberries and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Gourmet A Go-Go's Eye-Opening Blueberry French Toast

1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted
12 slices bread
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Mix well. Sprinkle 1/3 of mixture evenly in bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cover with 6 slices of bread. Sprinkle another 1/3 of sugar mixture over bread and scatter berries over top.

Place remaining bread on fruit and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

Beat eggs, milk, vanilla and salt together. Pour evenly over bread. Press down lightly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.

Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Serves 6.