Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Toast (Printable Version)

Tangy sourdough bake combining fresh blueberries with bright lemon custard for a comforting brunch dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Fruit

01 - 1 loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (approximately 14 ounces)
02 - 1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
03 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Custard

04 - 6 large eggs
05 - 2 cups whole milk
06 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - ¼ teaspoon salt
10 - Juice of 1 lemon

→ Topping

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
13 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

# How to Make It:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange sourdough cubes evenly in the dish. Scatter blueberries and lemon zest over the bread.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice until fully combined.
03 - Pour the custard evenly over the bread and berries, pressing down lightly to ensure all bread absorbs the mixture.
04 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for best results.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
06 - Drizzle melted butter over the surface. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle on top.
07 - Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
08 - Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It does most of the work while you sleep, so you can actually relax before serving it.
  • The tartness of lemon keeps this from feeling heavy, even though it's rich and custardy.
  • Sourdough's tang plays beautifully with the bright berries, making each bite taste more interesting than standard French toast.
02 -
  • The bread has to be cut into actual cubes, not torn into random chunks, because uniform pieces cook evenly and create better texture.
  • Chilling overnight is not lazy; it's what transforms this from okay to exceptional, so stop feeling guilty and just do it.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs whisk more smoothly, and cold custard bakes more evenly, so pull eggs out an hour before cooking and keep your custard in the fridge until the oven is hot.
  • The lemon zest is worth microplaning fresh right before assembly because pre-zested lemon loses its brightness within minutes.
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