Spring Brunch Strawberry French Toast

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Fruit

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah (about 14 oz), cut into 1-inch cubes

02 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

→ Custard Mixture

03 - 6 large eggs

04 - 2 cups whole milk

05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar

07 - 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

08 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon

09 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Topping

10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

11 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds

12 - 2 tbsp turbinado sugar or coarse sugar

# How-To Steps:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.

02 - Arrange half of the bread cubes in the baking dish. Scatter half of the sliced strawberries over the bread. Repeat with remaining bread and strawberries, layering them evenly.

03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.

04 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and strawberries, pressing gently to help the bread absorb the liquid.

05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for best results.

06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.

07 - Uncover the baking dish. Drizzle the melted butter over the top, then sprinkle with sliced almonds and turbinado sugar.

08 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.

09 - Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, optionally with maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar.

# Tips from the pros:

01 -

It actually improves overnight, so the stress of morning cooking just vanishes.
Strawberries and brioche together feel fancy but taste like pure comfort, which is the best kind of magic.
Your guests will think you woke up at dawn when really you just pressed a button.

02 -

If you skip the chilling time, your custard won't distribute evenly and you'll end up with dry bread on top and swimming custard on the bottom—learned that the hard way.
Room temperature custard mixture pours more smoothly than cold, so let yours sit out for 15 minutes before baking instead of pouring it straight from the fridge.

03 -