Baked Strawberry French Toast

With spring in full swing this Baked Strawberry French Toast Recipe is the perfect recipe to celebrate the season’s freshest berries. It is a beautiful balance of flavors, textures and makes the weekends extra special. The piece-de-resistance is the tender brioche bread that provides a slightly sweet base to soak up the creamy aromatic custard beautifully, while the golden crust provides that slightly crisp top, juxtaposing with a custardy, melt-in-your-mouth cakey inside.

The recipe is simple to put together with just a few pantry and fridge staple ingredients. The recipe starts with a little assembly the night before and pop it in the oven the next morning. Make it for an Easter brunch, Mothers Day or for a special weekend for the family. It feels elegant and celebratory without too much fuss!

Serving Suggestions

I think this Baked French Toast Recipe is best served straight from the oven warm with a drizzle of maple syrup that seeps into every nook + some fresh fruit like sliced strawberries or a handful of blueberries adds vibrant freshness to the richness of the buttery dish. A dusting of powdered sugar right before serving always makes it feel that little bit more celebratory.

This recipe also pairs well with something savory items like roasted potatoes, sautéed spinach or mixed greens with a light vinaigrette to balance the sweetness.

Ingredients

• Brioche loaf: tender, lightly sweetened brioche or challah is the best choice for this recipe. It soaks up the custard without turning into a mush.
• Eggs: The main ingredient after the bread, it lends that light texture and richness to the recipe.
• Ricotta: This is an unusual ingredient, but gives the custard the creamy texture and makes it so indulgent, alternatively use cream.
• Milk: Used to lighten the custard just enough for the perfect balance. whole is best, Ive also made it with alternative milks successfully. Make sure the milk is not fat free or light.
• Strawberries: we will need about a pound of fresh strawberries, I would avoid frozen as it gives out a lot of moisture and can turn the bake soggy. Blueberries also work well here.
• Vanilla extract: lends a wonderful floral dessert aroma that complements the sweet notes in the bread and strawberries.
• Cinnamon: for that warm flavor cinnamon its perfect in baked sweet dishes.
• Sugar (optional): well need very little sugar to add balance, because it will be served with maple syrup later.
• Maple syrup: for added sweetness as a topping—maple syrup’s natural sweetness pairs beautifully with this dish.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight odor-roof container in the fridge. The leftovers keep well for up to 3 days.

Freezing

This baked French toast freezes surprisingly well. To freeze, I gently wrap individual portions in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container to avoid freezer burn. The portions can be stored this way for up to 2 months. Freezing is especially handy if you want to prepare breakfast in advance for busy mornings. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for best results.

Reheating

For reheating, the oven or a toaster oven reheats best while still retaining g some of the original texture without turning soggy. Set the oven to 325°F and warm the portions on a baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through. the microwave works, but the texture becomes a little softer and less crispy which its also okay!