Blueberry Brunch

8 1-inch-thick slices white loaf or French bread, cubed
¼ lb. cream cheese, cubed
¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
6 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup pure maple syrup

Butter the bottom and sides of a 12x9-inch casserole dish. Arrange half of the bread cubes in dish. Scatter the cream cheese, blueberries, and the orange zest over the bread. Top with the remaining bread cubes.

In a bowl, stir the eggs, milk, and maple syrup to blend. Pour this egg mixture evenly over the entire casserole. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Remove casserole from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking it. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake covered for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered until puffed, golden brown, and firm, about 25 minutes.

¾ cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
¾ cup water
¾ cup blueberries
2 tsp. unsalted butter
¾ tsp. squeezed lemon juice

Meanwhile, prepare the blueberry sauce. In a large saucepan, blend the sugar and cornstarch, then stir in the water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils, thickens, and becomes clear, about 5 minutes. Stir in the blueberries. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the blueberries burst, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and lemon juice and keep warm until the casserole is done.

Cut the casserole into 6 squares and transfer to plates. Pour about ¾ cup of the blueberry sauce over each portion and serve hot.

Yield: 6 servings