2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water
Instructions
Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, almonds, and butter with hands in a medium bowl, pressing together to form large clumps; set aside.
Arrange bread in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish so that they slightly overlap. Whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla. Pour mixture over bread and let stand, weighting the bread so that it absorbs the custard, at least 20 minutes or overnight.
When ready to bake, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle casserole with crumble topping. Bake until golden and set, about 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring berries, sugar, zest, and ½ cup water to boil in a small Dutch oven or large saucepan. When mixture starts to simmer, whisk in cornstarch mixture. Continue to simmer until mixture thickens to sauce consistency.
Cut casserole into portions and serve with sauce alongside.
Recipe by Three Many Cooks at https://threemanycooks.com/recipes/strictly-vegetarian/french-toast-strata-with-strawberry-sauce/