Adapted from Southern Living
This is a warm and satisfying breakfast or brunch for weekends or holiday mornings and is great paired with savory side of sausage or bacon. You can make it the night before and store in refrigerator as well. Try it with blueberry jam for a twist!
1-1/2 cups seedless blackberry jam
1 French bread loaf, cubed in 1-inch pieces
6 large eggs
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese (or Neufchatel), cubed in half-inch pieces
2 cups half and half
1 tsp. vanilla
Optional: fresh blackberries, whipped cream, maple syrup, cinnamon
Heat jam in microwave in 15-second intervals until pourable. Place half of bread cubes in greased 9×13-inch baking dish, top with half of jam and dot with half of cream cheese. Repeat layers of bread cubes, jam and cream cheese.
Whisk eggs, half and half and vanilla and pour over top. If you need more liquid to soak all the bread, add more half and half or milk. You also can add a few fresh berries to top, if desired. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes, then uncover and cook for 20-30 more minutes or until center is set.
You can serve this with toppings such as syrup, whipped cream, fresh berries and cinnamon, but it is quite tasty as-is.
