This mixed berry strata is the fancy cousin of the bread pudding, a bit richer and brighter because it has ricotta cheese and orange zest and juice within its layers. You can use any type of bread for this recipe, but our Rideau Bakery Egg Bread makes it truly decadent. As a sweetener, we are using our Farm Boy™ Raspberry Jam and it blends perfectly with the sweet-tartness of the berries. And speaking of berries, you can use fresh, but our Farm Boy™ Frozen Berry Blend is not only perfect, but so convenient!
If you have stale bread, that will be perfect for this recipe, but if it’s fresh, toast in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes to dry it out a bit so it can absorb the custard much better.
Serve this magnificent strata along with a drizzle of Farm Boy™ Amber Maple Syrup on your next family brunch, everyone will be delighted.
Directions
- Grease an 11” x 7” (or 2-quart) baking dish with butter and set aside.
- For the custard: In medium bowl, combine Farm Boy™ Whole Milk, whipping cream, eggs, orange zest, and Farm Boy™ Orange Juice. Whisk to break up egg yolks and mix well.
- Spread half of Rideau Bakery Egg Bread in one layer on the baking dish and dollop half of the Farm Boy™ Ricotta Cheese, followed by half of the Farm Boy™ Raspberry Jam and half of the Farm Boy™ Frozen Berry Blend.
- Add the rest of the Rideau Bakery Egg Bread in an even layer.
- Top with the remaining Farm Boy™ Ricotta, Farm Boy™ Raspberry Jam, and Farm Boy™ Frozen Berry Blend.
- Pour the custard all over bread-and-berry mixture.
- Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place baking dish on sheet pan and bake for 60 minutes, or until custard is set and top is golden brown. If strata browns too fast toward the end of the baking time, you can cover it loosely with foil.
- Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve with Farm Boy™ Amber Maple Syrup.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup Farm Boy™ Organic Whole Milk
- 1/2 cup 35% whipping cream (or 10% cream)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 large orange zested
- 1/3 cup Farm Boy™ Orange Juice
- 1/2 loaf Rideau Bakery Flat Bottom Twisted Egg Bread (Challah) cut into 1" pieces (8 cups)
- 1 cup Farm Boy™ Ricotta Cheese
- 2/3 cup Farm Boy™ Raspberry Jam
- 3 cups Farm Boy™ Berry Blend Frozen Fruit
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 Tbsp icing sugar for garnish
- Farm Boy™ Amber Maple Syrup for serving