From spokesman.com/stories
By Ellie Krieger
I have documented proof of my adoration for breakfast bakes based on the recipes I have written over the years. There’s a lot to love. The bakes can be made ahead, which takes the pressure off in the morning, letting you relax and sip coffee as the dish warms in the oven and fills your kitchen with the most enticing aroma. They easily feed a crowd or can cover you as a quick, re-heatable breakfast for the weekday mornings. They may be made either sweet or savoury and can showcase the most nourishing ingredients: fruit, vegetables, nuts and whole grains.
Nearly all of the breakfast bake recipes I’ve created in the past lean on the traditional milk and eggs as binders, which means those who cannot eat eggs or are vegan have been excluded from the party, but that’s about to change.
This berry-studded French toast bake delivers a creamy centre that is dairy and egg-free. While many vegan French toast recipes rely on cornstarch added to plant milk for creaminess and binding capacity, I decided to take a more nutrient-dense route by blending soy milk – which I prefer because it’s high in protein, but any plant milk will work – with ground flaxseed, which has an egglike ability to bind and thicken, and cashews, which add a luxurious creaminess.
Pour that mixture, spiked with vanilla, orange zest and maple syrup, over cubed whole-grain bread and mixed berries in a baking dish, and let it soak in for a couple of hours or overnight. When you are ready to bake, sprinkle the top with chopped pecans and almonds (or any combination of nuts and seed you like) and pop it in the oven.
The finished bake bursts with berries and crunchy nuts, warm, fragrant, crisp on the outside and delightfully custardy on the inside. It’s so good you might want to double the recipe, whether for a relaxed weekend brunch, or a week’s worth of breakfasts to start the day.
Vegan French Toast With Berries and Nuts
This French toast bake – bursting with berries and crunchy nuts, and fragrant with orange zest and vanilla – is crisp on the outside and delightfully custardy on the inside. Instead of using the typical milk and eggs, this vegan version involves a creamy blend of non-dairy milk, ground flaxseed and cashews. It’s an excellent opportunity to use up bread that’s past its prime.
Neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed, for the pan
6½ ounces (184 grams) day-old whole-grain crusty bread, such as a boule, cut into ¾-inch dice (5 cups)
1½ cups (375 grams) mixed fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries and quartered strawberries
1½ cups (360 millilitres) unsweetened soy or almond milk
⅓ cup (40 grams) raw cashews
3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon maple syrup, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (from 1 orange)
⅓ cup (40 grams) chopped unsalted pecans
⅓ cup (30 grams) sliced almonds
Lightly bush an 8-inch square baking pan with oil. Place the bread and berries in the pan, toss to combine, then spread into an even layer.
In a blender, combine the milk, cashews, flaxseed, maple syrup, vanilla and zest, and blend until smooth. Let the mixture rest until slightly thickened, about five minutes, then stir it well and pour over the bread and berries, spreading it around and moving the bread or berries as needed so the liquid saturates the bread evenly. Cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to 12 hours.
When ready to bake, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Sprinkle the top of the bread mixture with the pecans and almonds. Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes, or until the French toast is set and the top is nicely browned. Let the bake sit for five to 10 minutes before serving, with additional maple syrup for drizzling.
Yield: 4 servings (makes about 6 cups)
Storage: Refrigerate for up to four days. To reheat, cover with foil and place in a preheated 350-degree oven until warmed through, or microwave until warmed through.
Make ahead: The pudding needs to be assembled and refrigerated at least two hours and up to 12 hours before baking.
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/may/05/this-overnight-vegan-french-toast-makes-a-relaxing/
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