Sweet Bread Casserole in Austrian Style with Cherries

Ingredients

• 6 old-fashioned Kipferl (croissants)
• 0.5 l milk
• 60 g Butter
• 60 g sugar
• 4 eggs (separated)
• 2 tsp vanilla sugar
• 0.5 lemon (unprocessed)
• 50 g raisins (optional)
• 50 g breadcrumbs
• 400 g fresh cherry juice (or 1 glass)
• cherry juice (as needed)
• 0.5 lemon (unprocessed)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp vanilla sugar
• sugar (optional)
• powdered sugar (for dusting)
• butter (for the pan)
• breadcrumbs (for the pan)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a casserole dish well and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

2. 2.

   For the Kipferl, cut the croissants into thin slices, pour milk over them, and let soak.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside. Cream the butter, then alternately fold in sugar and yolks. Add vanilla sugar and grated lemon zest. Mix in breadcrumbs and raisins if desired.

4. 4.

   Gently fold the foam mixture with the soaked croissant slices, then fold in the beaten egg whites. Pour everything into the casserole dish and bake for about 30 minutes until golden yellow.

5. 5.

   Wash, drain, and pit fresh cherries; strain soaked cherries and reserve the liquid.

6. 6.

   If needed, top the cherry liquid to 0.5 l with additional cherry juice or use only fresh cherry juice. Stir a little juice with cornstarch. Bring the remaining juice with grated lemon zest to a boil, stir in the starch mixture, let it boil once more, then remove from heat and cool. Warm the sauce, season with vanilla sugar, and sweeten with sugar if desired.

7. 7.

   Serve by plating portions of the Kipferl casserole with some sauce and fruit, dusting with powdered sugar.