This vegan take on traditional French toast is the perfect make-ahead recipe. It can be prepared the night before and then popped into the oven first thing in the morning, filling the house with an invitingly warm and cozy scent. There’s no need for maple syrup—a dreamy dollop of cashew cream, perfumed with cardamom and vanilla, puts this dish over the top and firmly in best brunch territory.
Supportive sourdough
There’s a reason we call specifically for sourdough bread in this recipe. On top of lending a nice flavour note to the dish, sourdough bread may be easier to digest for some people then other breads. Studies have shown that the fibre in sourdough bread helps feed the “good” bacteria in the gut, and in turn, keep the digestive system running smoothly.
French Toast Casserole with Vanilla Cardamom Cashew Cream
Ingredients
- Coconut oil, for greasing
- 1 loaf sourdough bread, sliced into 1/2 inch (1 cm) slices
- 12 oz (340 g) firm silken tofu
- 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) unsweetened plant milk of choice
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) arrowroot starch or cornstarch
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp (20 mL) vanilla extract, divided
- 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) ground cinnamon
- 2 cups (500 mL) mixed frozen berries
- 1 cup (250 mL) raw cashews
- 4 Medjool dates, pits removed
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cardamom
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) water, plus extra as needed
Directions
01
Generously grease large baking dish, about 9 x 13 inches (23 x 33 cm) with coconut oil. Shingle bread slices in dish and set aside.
02
To bowl of blender, add tofu, plant milk, arrowroot starch, maple syrup, 1 Tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon. Blend until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of blender with rubber spatula, as needed. Pour mixture over bread. Using clean hands, flip and press bread down into liquid so all bread is evenly coated in tofu mixture. Sprinkle frozen berries overtop of bread. Cover baking dish with lid or piece of parchment paper, crimping it around edges of baking dish to secure. Place casserole in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
03
While casserole is in refrigerator, make vanilla cardamom cashew cream. Bring kettle full of water to a boil. Place cashews and dates into heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over cashews and dates to cover and set aside for 15 minutes. Drain cashews and dates and add to blender along with remaining 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract, ground cardamom, and measured water. Blend until a pourable, creamy mixture is achieved, scraping down sides of blender jug as needed. Add more water, as needed, to achieve desired consistency. Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
04
About 30 minutes before you are ready to bake French toast, remove casserole from refrigerator and set at room temperature while oven preheats to 375 F (190 C).
05
Uncover casserole and bake until golden brown, about 45 to 60 minutes. Let casserole rest on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve while still warm with a drizzle of vanilla cardamom cashew cream.
