Spring Brunch Strawberry Toast (Printable)

Baked French toast casserole featuring fresh strawberries, creamy custard, and a sweet crumb topping.

# What You Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (approximately 1 pound)
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, optional
15 - Maple syrup for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Arrange bread cubes evenly in the prepared baking dish. Scatter sliced strawberries uniformly over the bread layer.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Pour custard mixture evenly over bread and strawberries. Gently press down with a spatula to ensure all bread absorbs the custard.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and work into mixture using a pastry cutter or fingertips until resembling coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
05 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until custard is set and top is golden brown.
06 - Cool for 10 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm with maple syrup.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can assemble it the night before and bake it fresh in the morning, which means you're actually relaxed when people show up.
  • The strawberries stay bright and don't turn into jam, giving you pockets of fresh fruit against custardy bread.
  • That buttery crumb topping is the detail that makes everyone think you woke up at dawn when really you just followed a plan.
02 -
  • If you don't let the custard soak into the bread for at least 10 minutes before baking, you'll end up with dry corners and soggy centers; patience here is not optional.
  • The bread should jiggle slightly when you pull it from the oven because it will continue setting as it cools, and overshooting the bake will give you rubbery custard instead of creamy.
03 -
  • Use a bread that's a day old rather than fresh because it's drier and soaks up custard better instead of turning into mush.
  • The cold butter in the topping is non-negotiable; if it's room temperature, the crumbs will clump together and bake into a crust instead of staying loose and crispy.
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