You eat seven breakfasts a week, thirty (or so) breakfasts a month, 365 breakfasts a year. And we bet most of them are probably the same. Maybe you favor black coffee and a bagel, or tea and a bowl of oatmeal, or toast and some scrambled eggs, but most of us are creatures of habit when it comes to our morning routine. Most days, breakfast favors the basic. And that’s fine; we get it. But some days… some days call for something a little more special. And that’s where this Berry Croissant Breakfast Puff comes in. It’s a custardy, oven-baked delight that balances the tartness of lemon zest and berries against the butteriness of croissants. (And even with all that deliciousness, it’s terribly simple to make.)
Think of this as a french toast bake, expect the base is croissants instead of bread. Croissants bring more of a buttery flavor to the party, and they really give the sweet custardy sauce a chance to soak down into every flaky nook and cranny. With this breakfast bake, there’s no need to let the croissants sit out to get stale as you would with a classic french toast, they hold up just fine as is.
After cubing the croissants, you toss them with a mixture of berries. We’ve used raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries here, but you could use just one of those, or whatever combination suits your fancy. From there, it’s just a matter of mixing up a sweet batter – cream cheese, eggs, milk, a little sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest – and pouring it over the croissants and berries.
It goes into the oven to bake for a bit, and when it emerges, the croissants have puffed a bit in that delicious batter. The top is lightly crisped and buttery, while the layers beneath are soft and custardy and punctuated with bright bursts of berry. Will this replace your everyday basic breakfast? No. And that’s okay. Will it become your go-to pick for that special brunch or lazy Sunday morning? We’re absolutely sure of it.
Berry Croissant Breakfast Puff
Ingredients
- 4 large croissants, cubed
- 1 1/2 cups mixed berries, raspberries, blackberries and/or blueberries
- 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Glaze: (optional)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350º F and lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
- Place cream cheese in a large bowl or mixer and beat for 3-4 minutes, or until smooth and fluffy.
- Beat in sugar until fully incorporated, then mix in eggs, milk, vanilla extract and lemon zest.
- Place croissant cubes in greased baking dish and top with mixed berries.
- Pour cream cheese mixture on top of croissants and berries, then cover with aluminum foil, place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Let cool slightly.
- Whisk together glaze ingredients and drizzle over croissant puff before serving.
Recipe adapted from Bellyfull.