Mothers Day Strawberry French Toast (Printable)

A make-ahead baked dish with brioche, strawberries, and custard, ideal for festive gatherings.

# 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

# Step-by-step 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 layer. 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 and smooth.
04 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and strawberries, pressing down gently with the back of a spoon to help the bread absorb the liquid thoroughly.
05 - Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for optimal flavor development and texture.
06 - Remove from refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350°F.
07 - Sprinkle the top with sliced almonds and turbinado sugar. Drizzle evenly with melted butter.
08 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is set. If the top begins to brown too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
09 - Let the bake cool for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely make-ahead friendly, meaning you can prep it the night before and bake fresh in the morning without stress.
  • The ratio of bread to custard creates this perfect, custardy texture that feels indulgent without being heavy.
  • You'll have leftovers that taste even better the next day, which almost never happens with breakfast foods.
02 -
  • The chilling step is not optional if you want the bread to properly absorb the custard and cook evenly, so plan ahead or this won't have the silky texture it should have.
  • If your bake looks jiggly in the very center when you pull it out, that's actually perfect, because it continues cooking as it cools and sets into that ideal custardy consistency.
  • Brioche matters because cheaper bread will turn to mush, but brioche has just enough structure to stay tender rather than disintegrating.
03 -
  • Use a serrated knife to cut the brioche into cubes rather than pulling it apart, because you want clean edges that hold their shape during baking.
  • If you forget to chill it overnight, even an hour makes a noticeable difference in how the bread absorbs the custard, so plan for at least that much time.
  • The center will jiggle slightly when you pull it from the oven, and that's exactly right, because it firms up as it cools and that's what gives you that spoonable, custardy middle.
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