Mothers Day Strawberry French Toast (Print View)

Make-ahead baked brioche with strawberries and custard, topped with almonds and turbinado sugar.

# Components:

→ Bread & Fruit

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, about 16 oz, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

→ Custard

03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Topping

10 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 - 2 tablespoons turbinado or coarse sugar

→ To Serve

13 - Powdered sugar for dusting
14 - Maple syrup

# Directions:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange half of the bread cubes in the prepared dish. Evenly scatter half of the sliced strawberries over the bread. Top with the remaining bread cubes and distribute the remaining strawberries on top.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined and smooth.
04 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and strawberries, pressing down gently with a spatula to help the bread absorb the liquid.
05 - Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for optimal flavor and texture absorption.
06 - Remove the dish from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350°F.
07 - Sprinkle the top of the French toast bake with sliced almonds and turbinado sugar. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the surface.
08 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is set when lightly touched. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
09 - Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve warm with maple syrup on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It lets you sleep in on the morning you're actually hosting—the oven does the work while you sip coffee and enjoy your guests.
  • Fresh strawberries suspended in creamy custard taste ridiculously elegant for something this forgiving.
02 -
  • If you skip the chilling step, the bread won't absorb enough custard and you'll get dry, bread-forward bites instead of that lush, creamy texture.
  • Cutting the bread into cubes rather than slices changes everything—cubes soak evenly and create little pockets of custardy goodness throughout.
03 -
  • Cut your bread into cubes the night before and let them sit uncovered for a few hours—slightly stale bread absorbs custard without turning to mush.
  • If you notice the top browning too quickly, tenting loosely with foil in the final 15 minutes prevents burnt almonds and keeps the interior tender.
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