Rise And Shine – Cheese Danish Casserole

Valentine’s Day is only days away.  But dinner is not the only time to celebrate with your family or special someone.  The day of love can be celebrated all day long beginning with this yummy breakfast idea 🙂This twist on the classic breakfast casserole might be just the perfect way to surprise your family or loved one on the morning of Valentine’s Day.  If you want to start the day off “sweetly”, this combination of good bread with the rich cream cheese filling drenched in a delicious egg custard and baked until golden brown is pretty hard to beat.  IT has the texture and flavor of a really moist and delicious cheese danish.

We can guarantee if you start your day off with this, there will be plenty of love to go around!

Cheese Danish Casserole

This is best made with a loaf of brioche or challah, but a good quality white bread will work as well.  The number of slices you use will depend on the size of the loaf you are using.  Whatever bread you choose, you want to be sure to fill up the surface of your baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Approximately 12 slices of bread
For cheese filling:
16 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For custard:
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
nutmeg
powdered sugar for dusting

Beat together cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla and almond extracts until cheese mixture is very smooth and creamy.

Butter a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.  Arrange a layer of bread being sure to fill in any open spaces.  Spread the bread lavishly with the cream cheese filling.  Top with more slices of bread again being sure to fill in any gaps.

Beat eggs with half and half, sugar and vanilla.  Pour over layered bread and cheese.  Allow the custard mixture to be absorbed into bread, about 15 minutes (you can also cover and refrigerate overnight at this point).  Just before baking sprinkle the top with freshly grated nutmeg.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and puffed.  Dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares.

This will make 8 very generous portions or 12 average sized servings.  Add some sausages or bacon and we promise you, there will be lots of love all around 🙂