Today is a very important holiday. I mean, critically important. Yes, it’s Lunar / Chinese New Year, but no, that isn’t it. It’s National Croissant Day! See, told you it was important. 🙂
I decided to mark the occasion not by making croissants — I have made them before and they are a lot of effort — so I decided to make something with croissants instead: this Croissant and Custard Casserole. Essentially it is an overnight French toast casserole or a fancy bread pudding made with croissants. Great for breakfast as you can assemble the evening before, and have it all ready to bake up in the morning. With the buttery croissants, this is a totally decadent breakfast dish.
Ingredients
4 regular or 6 small croissants, day old is best
4 large eggs
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cream, or half-and-half
1 1/2 cups mixed berries
Recipe can be doubled, but cut back the eggs to 6 not 8.
Serving Suggestions
maple syrup
fruit syrups such as raspberry or blueberry
chocolate sauce
mixed berries
whipped cream
butter
Directions
Prepare a medium oval, round or square casserole dish, size appropriate for the croissants. Spray the inside of the dish with a baking spray and brush it evenly over the dish.
To make your custard, crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and add sugar, vanilla extract, salt and ground cinnamon, if using. Use a whisk to beat the eggs for a few minutes, until they’re well beaten. Pour in the milk and cream. Whisk the eggs and dairy together, then set aside the custard.
Using a serrated knife, carefully split each croissant in half lengthwise. If you’re croissants are extra-large, you can also split in them in half vertically so the casserole is easier to serve. Prepare the berries by washing them first. If adding strawberries, section them into smaller pieces. Drop one piece of halved croissant at a time into the prepared egg custard, allowing the bread to become well saturated with the mixture.
Layer the croissants into the prepared casserole dish, adding a small handful of berries with each croissant. Add the berries in between the halves, too. Continue with these steps until the entire casserole is filled. Pour any remaining custard over the top of the casserole and sprinkle more berries over the top.
At this point, you can refrigerate the casserole overnight. Cover with foil and chill. If baking right away, press on.
Heat oven to 375F.
Keeping the casserole covered, and bake at 375F for 30-35 minutes, until the custard is completely set. If baking from refrigerator cold, it will take closer to 40 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 6 to 8 minutes, to allow the croissants to become golden brown. Serve immediately, with the suggested toppings of your choice.
