Glazed Strawberry French Toast Casserole
Light and fluffy layered casserole with soaked bread, creamy ricotta filling, fresh strawberries, and a smooth vanilla glaze. Baked until set and topped with warm syrup-sweetened coating. A lower-fat twist on classic French toast that serves as a make-ahead breakfast or brunch dish.
Ingredients
- 8 slices light bread, toasted
- ¾ cup light vanilla soymilk, for custardwhole milk1:1
dairy alternative
- ¾ cup egg whites or fat-free liquid egg substitute
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups light or low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp Truvia spoonable calorie-free sweetener or granulated no-calorie sweetenersugar1:1.3
granulated sweetener
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups strawberries, sliced
- ¼ cup Truvia spoonable calorie-free sweetener or granulated no-calorie sweetener, for glazesugar1:1.3
granulated sweetener
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp light vanilla soymilk, for glazewhole milk1:1
dairy alternative
- 1 tbsp light whipped butter or light buttery spreadcoconut oil1:1dairy-free
dairy-free
- 1 tbsp lite maple syrup
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 by 8 inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
- 2
Lightly toast bread slices.
- 3
In a medium-large bowl, combine soymilk, egg whites or substitute, and cinnamon. Whisk until uniform.
- 4
In another medium-large bowl, combine ricotta, sweetener, and vanilla extract. Stir until uniform.
- 5
Thoroughly soak 4 toasted bread slices in the soymilk mixture and lay in the baking pan, overlapping as needed.
- 6
Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the bread layer.
- 7
Thoroughly soak the remaining 4 toasted bread slices in the soymilk mixture and lay in the baking pan, overlapping as needed.
- 8
Finish layering with the remaining ricotta mixture and top with sliced strawberries.
- 9
Bake until center is firm and cooked through, about 40 minutes.
- 10
Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
- 11
To make the glaze, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, whisk sweetener with cornstarch until uniform.
- 12
In another medium microwave-safe bowl, combine soymilk, butter, and maple syrup. Microwave for 20 seconds until soymilk is hot and butter has melted. Mix well and add to the sweetener mixture.
- 13
Vigorously whisk until completely smooth and uniform.
- 14
Microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds until mixture is fully bubbling.
- 15
Immediately drizzle glaze over casserole.
Tips
Thoroughly soak bread in custard mixture to ensure even absorption and prevent dry spots.
Allow casserole to cool before drizzling glaze to prevent it from running off.
Whisk glaze vigorously to achieve smooth, lump-free consistency before final microwaving.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat gently in oven at 300 degrees to prevent glaze from separating.
Assemble casserole through berry topping, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bake directly from cold, adding 5-10 minutes to baking time. Prepare glaze fresh before serving.
Serve warm immediately after glazing. Can accompany with fresh whipped cream or additional berries on the side.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip lightly toasting bread to avoid a soggy, dense casserole.
Do not insufficiently soak bread slices to avoid dry, hard layers.
Do not microwave glaze beyond fully bubbling to avoid separation and graininess.