Mothers Day Strawberry Toast (Printable)

A make-ahead baked French toast with brioche, fresh strawberries, and creamy custard for a festive brunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 remaining bread cubes and finish with remaining strawberries.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
04 - Pour the custard evenly over the bread and strawberries, pressing down gently to help the bread absorb the liquid.
05 - Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best results.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
07 - Sprinkle the top with sliced almonds and turbinado sugar. Drizzle with melted butter.
08 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and set in the center. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
09 - Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It does all the heavy lifting the night before, so brunch morning feels effortless and you actually get to enjoy your guests.
  • The brioche gets luxuriously custardy without ever feeling soggy—it's that perfect tender-but-structured texture everyone raves about.
  • Fresh strawberries keep their brightness while soaking up just enough vanilla and cinnamon to feel fancy without tasting heavy.
02 -
  • The overnight chill is not optional if you want texture—it's the difference between a casserole and a properly soaked bake that holds together and tastes intentional.
  • Don't use day-old or stale bread thinking it'll absorb better; brioche and challah are soft enough that fresh works perfectly, and stale bread gets hard around the edges.
  • If your custard seems watery rather than creamy when you pour it, you likely whisked in air bubbles; let it sit for a minute and skim off the foam before pouring.
03 -
  • Cut your bread into uniform 1-inch cubes so everything bakes at the same rate—uneven pieces lead to some parts dry and others undercooked.
  • Let the baked dish cool for exactly 10 minutes before serving; it firms up just enough to slice cleanly while still being warm and custardy in the center.
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