French Toast Casserole

The original recipe calls for blueberries but we prefer raspberries, especially since we can get them out of our own backyard!
This is such a yummy treat for breakfast and wonderful for serving (and impressing!) guests! You can mix it up the night before and then finish in the morning, but allow plenty of time.
Enjoy!

12 slices day-old bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (I often use store-bought, cheap bread and it works fine)
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes (the recipe originally called for 2 pkgs but that just seems like too much for me.)
1 cup fresh raspberries (or blueberries) (Hint: strawberries don't work well with this recipe, since they like to turn kind of a grayish color when cooked and then it doesn't LOOK appetizing at all!)
12 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup maple syrup (or the fake stuff)

Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Arrange half the bread cubes in the dish and top with cream cheese cubes.
Sprinkle berries over the cream cheese and top with remaining bread cubes.
In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla, and syrup. Pour over the bread cubes.
Cover and refrigerate overnight. (You can also make this right away)
Remove the pan from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (175 C)
Cover and bake 30 minutes.
Uncover and continue baking 25 to 30 minutes longer, until center is firm and surface is lightly browned.

Sauce:
1 cup sugar
2 Tblsp cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup fresh raspberries (or blueberries)
1 Tblsp butter

In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch and water. Bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, cook 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the berries. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes (blueberries will burst). Stir in the butter and pour over slices of the casserole.