Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Add ½ of the bread cubes to the baking dish. Top with the cubed cream cheese and 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries. Add the remaining bread cubes evenly over the top.
3. Add the half & half and eggs to a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the maple syrup and blend again, until smooth. Pour evenly over the baking dish.
4. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Let sit on the counter for 30 minutes before baking in the morning.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and the eggs are set.
6. While the french toast is baking, make the strawberry syrup. Add the sugar, water, and cornstarch to a saucepan. Whisk to combine and heat over medium heat until a slow boil begins. Add 1 cup of sliced strawberries and stir to combine. Continue the slow boil for about 10 minutes to allow the strawberries to soften and release their juices, and the syrup to thicken.
7. Slice and serve the french toast while still hot. Drizzle the strawberry syrup over the french toast. Enjoy!