Easy & Delightful Barefoot Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole Recipe

Barefoot Contessa’s french toast casserole transforms ordinary breakfast into an extraordinary morning experience that will revolutionize weekend dining.

Luxurious ingredients merge into a decadent morning masterpiece, creating complex flavors and textures that dance across your palate.

Challah bread absorbs a silky custard mixture, promising rich, indulgent bites that melt effortlessly in your mouth.

Raspberries add unexpected bursts of bright sweetness, elevating this classic breakfast dish beyond traditional expectations.

Layered carefully and baked to golden perfection, each spoonful delivers comfort and excitement simultaneously.

Weekend brunch enthusiasts will appreciate this sophisticated yet accessible recipe that impresses without demanding extensive culinary skills.

Prepare to wow family and friends with a breakfast sensation that feels both familiar and innovative:

Why You’ll Love Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole

• Effortless Breakfast Transformation: Transform ordinary bread into a luxurious morning masterpiece without complex cooking techniques, making it perfect for home cooks who want restaurant-quality results with minimal effort.
• Flavor Explosion with Minimal Ingredients: Combine simple pantry staples like challah, eggs, and raspberries to create a vibrant breakfast dish that bursts with sweet, tangy, and rich flavors in every single bite.
• Make-Ahead Morning Magic: Prep the entire casserole the night before and let it chill in the refrigerator, allowing ingredients to meld together, which means less stress and more relaxation during busy morning routines.

Must-Have Ingredients for Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole

• Challah Bread: Soft, slightly sweet bread that provides a rich and delicate foundation for the French toast casserole.
• Day-old Bread: Slightly stale bread helps absorb the egg mixture more effectively.

• Raspberries: Fresh berries that add a burst of tangy sweetness and bright color to the dish.

• Eggs: Essential binding ingredient that creates the custard-like texture.
• Half-and-Half: Creamy liquid that adds richness and smooth consistency to the mixture.
• Butter: Used for greasing the baking dish to prevent sticking.

• Granulated Sugar: Provides overall sweetness and helps create a golden-brown top.
• Confectioners' Sugar: Light dusting for a delicate, decorative finish.

• Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, classic flavor to the entire dish.
• Orange Zest: Bright citrus notes that complement the sweet and fruity elements.
• Salt: Balances and intensifies the overall flavor profile.

• Pure Maple Syrup: Optional topping for additional sweetness and traditional French toast experience.

Creating Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Vessel

Generously coat a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish with room-temperature butter, ensuring complete coverage of bottom and sides.

Step 2: Create Luxurious Custard Mixture

• 8 large eggs
• Half-and-half
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Fresh orange zest
• Salt

Blend ingredients until perfectly smooth and fully combined.

Step 3: Build Delicious Layers

• Spreading 1/2 of diced challah bread across the buttered baking dish
• Scattering fresh raspberries evenly over the bread
• Topping with remaining challah bread pieces

Step 4: Soak and Chill

Gently pour custard mixture over bread layers, pressing lightly to ensure complete bread saturation. Sprinkle granulated sugar on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to develop rich flavors.

Step 5: Bake to Golden Perfection

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake casserole for 60 to 70 minutes. If top browns too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.

Step 6: Add Final Flourishes

Dust casserole with confectioners’ sugar and extra orange zest. Serve warm with pure maple syrup on the side for an indulgent breakfast experience.

Tips for an Amazing Contessa Baked French Toast

• Prevent Over-Browning: Cover with foil during final baking stages to maintain perfect golden color without burning edges.
• Enhance Flavor Depth: Let casserole rest overnight in refrigerator, allowing bread to absorb rich custard mixture completely.
• Strategize Fruit Placement: Nestle raspberries between bread layers for unexpected bursts of fruity sweetness in every bite.
• Create Smooth Base: Whisk wet ingredients thoroughly to develop consistent, silky custard that penetrates bread evenly.
• Simplify Morning Prep: Assemble entire dish night before, making breakfast practically effortless for busy households.

Storing Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole

• Vacuum Sealing: Lock in freshness by using a vacuum sealer to remove air completely. This method preserves texture and prevents moisture loss, keeping your French toast casserole tasting like it was just baked. Wrap the casserole tightly in vacuum-seal bags before refrigerating.
• Glass Container Method: Choose a high-quality glass container with a secure, tight-fitting lid. Glass prevents odor absorption and maintains the casserole's original flavor profile better than plastic containers. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface before closing the lid to create an extra barrier against air exposure.
• Individual Portion Technique: Slice the casserole into single servings before storing. Transfer each portion into separate small containers or wrap individually in aluminum foil. This approach allows easier reheating, reduces waste, and keeps the remaining casserole fresher for longer periods.

Variations on Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole

• Berry Bonanza: Replace raspberries with a mix of blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries for a colorful and vibrant fruit medley that bursts with summer flavors.
• Nutty Crunch Edition: Sprinkle chopped pecans or sliced almonds between bread layers and on top before baking, adding a delightful textural contrast and rich, toasted nutty flavor.
• Chocolate Lover's Breakfast: Incorporate dark chocolate chips or cocoa nibs between bread layers and dust with cocoa powder instead of confectioners' sugar for an indulgent morning treat that chocolate enthusiasts will adore.
• Tropical Morning Escape: Swap raspberries for diced mango and add shredded coconut between bread layers, then garnish with a drizzle of passion fruit syrup for a vacation-inspired breakfast experience.

A Quick Note on Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole

Barefoot Contessa’s baked French toast casserole transports breakfast lovers to a delightful morning paradise.

Raspberries and challah bread create an irresistible harmony of flavors that dance across taste buds.

Ina Garten’s signature recipe elevates traditional breakfast fare with elegant simplicity.

Layers of rich ingredients meld together, promising a memorable culinary experience.

Warm orange zest and sweet raspberries complement the creamy custard-soaked bread.

Readers who crave an extraordinary breakfast masterpiece should dive into this recipe, share the deliciousness with friends, like the detailed instructions, and comment on their baking adventures.

Barefoot Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole Recipe

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4.6 from 18 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Barefoot Contessa’s Baked French Toast Casserole brings French bakery magic to weekend mornings with rich, custardy bread soaked in vanilla and cinnamon. Crisp exterior and silky interior create pure breakfast bliss you’ll savor from first luxurious bite to last crumb.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients (Bread and Fruits):

• 10 cups day-old challah bread, 1-inch-diced
• 12 ounces (340 grams) fresh raspberries

Dairy and Eggs:

• 10 extra-large eggs
• 2 ¾ cups (650 milliliters) half-and-half
• 1 tablespoon (15 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Sweeteners and Seasonings:

• ⅓ cup (67 grams) + 2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup (70 grams) light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) grated orange zest, plus extra for serving
• ½ teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
• Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
• Pure maple syrup, for serving

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Instructions

1. Meticulously coat a 23 centimeters (9 inches) x 33 centimeters (13 inches) x 5 centimeters (2 inches) oval baking dish with softened butter, ensuring complete coverage of bottom and sides.
2. Create a smooth custard base by vigorously whisking together eggs, half-and-half cream, white and brown sugars, pure vanilla extract, fragrant orange zest, and a pinch of sea salt until ingredients are completely integrated.
3. Construct the first bread layer by evenly distributing half of the cubed challah bread across the greased baking dish’s surface.
4. Generously scatter fresh raspberries across the initial bread layer, creating an even distribution of fruit.
5. Complete the bread stratification by adding the remaining challah cubes atop the raspberry layer, creating a second compact bread surface.
6. Delicately cascade the prepared egg mixture over the bread and raspberry layers, gently pressing downward to guarantee complete ingredient saturation.
7. Sprinkle remaining granulated sugar across the top, creating a light crystalline coating.
8. Wrap the entire dish securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for precisely 60 minutes, allowing flavors to harmonize and bread to absorb custard.
9. Preheat the oven to 177 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) while removing the chilled dish from refrigeration.
10. Bake the assembled dish for 60 to 70 minutes, monitoring browning and covering with aluminum foil if the surface darkens too quickly.
11. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes, permitting slight cooling and structural stabilization.
12. Finish by dusting with powdered sugar and additional orange zest, serving immediately with pure maple syrup alongside.

Notes

• Chill the casserole overnight to let bread thoroughly absorb the rich egg mixture, enhancing every delectable bite.
• Room-temperature butter ensures smooth, even greasing across the baking dish, preventing any sticky mishaps.
• Challah bread brings luxurious texture and depth, soaking up the creamy custard like a flavor sponge.
• Fresh raspberries burst with vibrant tanginess, cutting through the sweet richness and adding unexpected brightness.
• Dust with confectioners’ sugar for a stunning presentation that looks as impressive as it tastes.
• Serve alongside pure maple syrup, letting guests customize their morning indulgence with extra sweetness.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 468 kcal
• Sugar: 21 g
• Sodium: 210 mg
• Fat: 24 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 49 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 13 g
• Cholesterol: 310 mg