Blueberry Oatmeal Streusel French Toast with Warm Maple Rum Sauce

My son sent me a cookbook for Mother's Day. How did he know I liked to cook?  In fact, we all like to cook.  Well, the kids and I like to cook.  Trista is developing a nut butter business in the UK.  Travis helped his way through U. C. Berkeley by cooking for his fellow students in the Berkeley Band House one day a week.  Tara cooks where she can, but is currently working 12 hour days and the commute adds an hour each way.  So not much cooking for her these days.

 

The book he sent is The Art Of Breakfast by Dana Moos.  The subtitle is How To Bring B&B Entertaining Home.  Perfect!  Except I am turning home into a B&B.

I invited a friend over for dinner/breakfast last night.  I served the French Toast as a dessert.  It is always good to get a second opinion (and assistance with the eating)  and it was marvelous, darling.  If you come stay at our B&B, ask for it for breakfast and I will make it for you.  We have already have had requests from people reading the blog and staying in the B&B.  I need advance notice, though.  This is an overnight breakfast.  Fix it and set it in the refrigerator overnight to bake in the morning.  I made it before noon and served it for dinner and it was great, so don't obsess about the resting time!

I made a modified version of her recipe.  I cut it down from the original, to be made in a 9X12 pan to serve 8 to 10.  This served 6 very generous portions, but you can double it for the bigger size.

 

Blueberry Oatmeal Streusel French Toast

1 cup pecans
8 slices bread, I used white whole wheat
1 cup blueberries, next time I will add another 1/2 cup.  Can't have too many bluebs.
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups half & half
1/8 cup brown sugar  Here is my confession.  The larger recipe called for 1/4 cup and that is what I put in the smaller version. Ooops.  It was fine and not too sweet, but I will make an effort to not do that next time.
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6 Tablespoons butter, softened  The larger version called for 1 stick.  The amount was pretty small for my mixer so I added a bit more butter.
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon dark corn syrup
1/2 cup rolled oatmeal, not the instant or quick cooking version
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Maple Rum Sauce (to follow)
Fresh sliced peaches or blueberries for garnish  I will add the peaches when they become ripe and not flavorless, sour things like they are now.

 

I have a toaster oven and chose that to toast the pecans.

 

If you don't have one, heat the oven to 350° and toast them for about 15 minutes.  It only took 8 minutes in the toaster oven at 350°.  Let cool.

 

Rinse the blueberries, pick out any wrinkled or unripe ones and pull off any remaining stems, dry and set aside.

 

Spray with Pam or butter a 1 1/2 quart baking dish.  Cut the bread in 1 inch cubes and layer in the prepared dish. 

 

Spread the blueberries evenly on top of the bread cubes.

 

Combine the eggs, half & half, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a blender for about 5 seconds.  Pour the mixture over the bread.

 

Now for the streusel mix.  I used a Kitchen Aid stand mixer with a paddle attachment.  Beat the butter, sugar and corn syrup on medium high until creamy, about 2 minutes,  Scrape down half way through and keep beating. 

 

Chop the toasted pecans and fold them with the oatmeal and nutmeg into the butter mixture.

 

Drop by spoonsful on to the top of the bread mixture and spread to cover the whole thing.  Cover with foil and place in the refrigerator overnight.

 

Go read a book or take a nice soak in the tub.  You have worked hard.  People will praise you in the morning at breakfast.

 

Set the dish out for about 1/2 an hour to bring it up to room temperature  When ready, heat the oven to 375°.  Bake covered in the foil for 40 minutes.  Place a rimmed cooking sheet  on the shelf below.  It WILL overflow and drizzle the most amazing blueberry flavored juices.  You don't want to be cleaning them up off the floor of the oven. 

 

Uncover after 40 minutes and continue baking for another 10 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 275° and bake for 10 more minutes, for a total baking time of 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and let it rest for at LEAST 10 to 20 more minutes.  It takes time to set up so you can cut it into slices.

Make the rum sauce while the French Toast is cooling.

Maple Rum Sauce

3/4 cup heavy cream
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons maple syrup
3 Tablespoons plus 1 Tablespoon rum
1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch

 

Combine the cream, sugar, maple syrup and 3 Tablespoons of the rum in a saucepan.  Bring to a slow boil over low heat. Dissolve the corn starch in the remaining 1 Tablespoon of rum.

 

Whisk in the corn starch mixture and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and serve warm.

 

Slice the French Toast down the middle and then divide each side into 2 or 3 generous slices.  Serve with the warm Maple Rum Sauce and fresh peaches or more blueberries.