Overnight Blueberry French Toast

Ingredients:
1 loaf day old french bread
12 oz. cream cheese* ( I use fat free)

1/4 C powdered sugar
1 1/2 t vanilla, divided
2 C fresh or frozen blueberries (thawing not necessary)
Zest of 1 lemon**
10 large eggs
2 C milk
5 T granulated sugar, divided

Blueberry Syrup:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch (use 2 Tbsp for thicker syrup)
3/4 cup cold water
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (thawing not necessary)

Directions:Cut bread into 1-inch slices then cut each slice into 1-inch cubes.  Spread half of the bread cubes into an even layer in a buttered 13 x 9 casserole dish, set aside remaining bread cubes.
In a small bowl, using an electric hand mixer, blend together cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. In a separate bowl stir together lemon zest and 1 Tbsp sugar. Using a rubber spatula and a clean fingertip, spread cream cheese mixture over bread cube layer in baking dish. Sprinkle blueberries over cream cheese layer then sprinkle lemon zest mixture evenly over blueberry layer. Spread remaining bread cubes into an even layer over top of blueberries.
In a blender, blend together eggs, milk, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and remaining 1 tsp vanilla on low speed until well blended, about 10 seconds. Slowly pour mixture evenly over top of bread cubes in baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
The following morning, remove from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of "resting", preheat oven to 350.
Remove plastic wrap and cover baking dish with aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake 25 - 35 minutes, until golden brown (if it is becoming too golden brown but isn't cooked through then you can cover with foil again during the last few minutes of baking). Allow to rest 5 minutes, then cut into servings and serve warm topped with blueberry syrup and sweetened whipped cream or cool whip if desired.
*You may need to thin out the cream cheese mixture with 1 to 2 T milk to make it a more spreadable consistency.
**After zesting lemon, reserve it in a Ziploc bag to juice the following morning for use in the blueberry syrup.
 

For the blueberry syrup:
In a medium saucepan, whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch. Stir in cold water and lemon juice. Mix in blueberries. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat slightly and allow to gently boil for 2 - 3 minutes until thickened and blueberries have burst, while stirring constantly. Allow to cool slightly before serving.