When Marlee and Tess meet for breakfast at the Sourdough Café, they order this delicious baked French toast. Since Marlee produced cooking shows during her TV career in NYC, she recognizes the dish as a delightfully gooey recipe by celebrity chef Emeril.
Butter a 9-x13-inch baking dish with a tablespoon of butter.
Arrange half of the bread cubes on the bottom of the baking dish.
Top bread cubes with blueberries and cream cheese cubes.
Layer the remaining bread cubes over the blueberries/cheese cubes.
Whisk eggs, half-and-half, maple syrup, and orange juice in a large bowl.
Pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture in baking dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
Remove dish from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Position rack in center of oven.
Bake the covered French toast for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove aluminum foil and continue baking another 30 minutes, or until toast is golden brown and puffed.
Remove from oven and let slightly cool, approximately 15 minutes.
After plating, ladle blueberry sauce over the French toast.
In small saucepan, stir together over medium-high heat cornstarch, water, sugar, orange juice, and zest.
Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes.
Add blueberries and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally until berries burst, approximately 5 minutes.
Add butter. Stir mixture until melted.
Remove blueberry mixture from heat. Spoon or ladle over warm French toast.
French Toast serves 10 - 12
Blueberry Sauce makes 3 cups.
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