Recipe for the 1899 Inn's Famous Baked French Toast
Breakfast at the 1899 Inn in Deadwood is not just sustenance, it is an experience. We serve our guests in the formal dining room and present the steaming hot entrees, fresh home baked sour dough toast and bright fresh fruit on a set of vintage Marvelle Noritake China. Our coffee is locally roasted by Dark Canyon Coffee and delivered frequently so our guests get the best tasting brew every morning. The coffee is served at the table in vintage coffee urns kept hot with an open flame candle (the only open flames allowed in the 1899 Inn!).
I am often asked about my recipes and I decided I would share some of them through this blog. The recipe most desired is for our Lemon Blueberry Baked French Toast. I always share but warn that this is one of those recipes that really does require day old homemade sour dough bread. It’s just not the same without it! If you’re not into baking fresh bread I am sure you can find sour dough at your favorite bakery.
1899 Fresh Lemon and Blueberry Baked French Toast
16-20 slices of sour dough bread, torn or cut into pieces to fill about 2/3 of the baking pan
CUSTARD:
8 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups milk
1/2 cup half'n'half
2 T vanilla extract
Juice of one fresh lemon
½ to one cup fresh blueberries
TOPPING:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1 stick cold butter
TO ASSEMBLE:
Grease a 9x13" pan with butter. Spread torn bits of bread in pan. Whisk together all the custard ingredients and pour over the bread. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the bread evenly and add the blueberries making sure every piece will have some. For the topping: mix dry ingredients together. Cut very cold butter into the dry ingredients until it has a texture like pebbly sand. Spread the topping on the bread and custard, then bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. This can be assembled the night before and kept in the refrigerator. Add the topping just prior to baking. Serve with fruit and warm maple syrup. Serves 10-12.
Of course it’s always nicer to be served this delicious breakfast dish so feel free to request it when you make your reservations!
Happy Baking!