Spring Brunch Strawberry Toast (Printable)

A baked French toast with strawberries and custard, perfect for a cozy spring brunch gathering.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 6 large eggs
03 - 2 cups whole milk
04 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Fruit

09 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

→ Topping

10 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

→ Finish

14 - Powdered sugar for dusting
15 - Maple syrup for serving

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Arrange bread cubes evenly in the prepared baking dish. Scatter sliced strawberries over the bread layer.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Pour custard mixture evenly over bread and strawberries. Gently press down to ensure all bread pieces absorb the custard.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or fingertips to work the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
05 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until custard is set and top is golden brown.
06 - Let cool for 10 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. Serve warm with maple syrup.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can assemble it the night before and just pop it in the oven, which means sleeping in and still impressing people.
  • It feeds eight without any last-minute scrambling, and somehow tastes even better when made a day ahead.
  • Fresh strawberries mean you're tasting spring in every bite, and that creamy custard is basically edible comfort.
02 -
  • The custard continues to cook slightly while the casserole rests, so pull it out when it's still a tiny bit wobbly in the center; it will firm up perfectly.
  • If you assemble this the night before, the bread absorbs even more custard and the flavors marry together, which actually makes it better than eating it fresh.
03 -
  • Day-old or slightly stale brioche works better than fresh bread because it absorbs custard without turning into mush.
  • Keep the butter for your streusel topping in the freezer until the very last moment, then work it in quickly so it stays cold and creates those crucial crispy bits.
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