Baked Challah French Toast

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp. l. brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup whole milk or semi-skimmed ricotta
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp coarse salt
• 6 large eggs
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 12 slices of yesterday's challah, 2-2.5 cm thick.
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• Powdered sugar, for serving

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the milk, ricotta, vanilla extract, salt, eggs, and lemon zest. Stir and set aside. Pour the melted butter into a 9x13-inch loaf pan. Lightly coat each slice of bread in the egg mixture and overlap them in the pan, sprinkling each layer with a generous pinch of the sugar mixture. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread, then sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and bake the French toast for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake until the custard is set and the bread is golden brown, another 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the blueberries and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the berries burst and the liquid thickens and begins to bubble, about 15 minutes.
4. When ready to serve, spoon the blueberries over the casserole and sprinkle with powdered sugar.