Baked French Toast With Brioche Bread

Course Breakfast & Brunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Chill time 12

Total Time 12 45

Servings pieces

Calories 140kcal

Author Kristine Underwood

Ingredients

▢ 1 loaf brioche bread (day-old and sliced thick)
▢ 1/3 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
▢ 1/3 cup brown sugar (light or brown, packed)
▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
▢ 1/2 tsp sea salt
▢ 8 eggs
▢ 1 1/4 cup milk (any kind or dairy-free, may use 1 1/2 cups to make it more like bread pudding)
▢ Powdered sugar and cinnamon (for sprinkling on top)
▢ Maple syrup (for serving)

Instructions

Cut the brioche slices diagonally into triangles and spread them out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast for about 10 minutes, until dry and lightly golden. This step makes a big difference and helps prevent soggy French toast later.
Then arrange the toasted bread slices snugly, overlapping them slightly in a casserole dish. You can also use cubes of bread, if you prefer. I like to cut the slices diagonally because it looks a little bit fancy and so pretty when it comes out of the oven, but either method will work great.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and sea salt until smooth. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes so the eggs don’t accidentally scramble. Nobody wants sweet breakfast scrambled eggs.
Add the eggs a few at a time, whisking well after each addition until smooth and fully combined.
Pour in the milk and whisk again until the custard is completely combined.
Slowly pour the mixture evenly over the bread, making sure all the pieces get coated. Use a turkey baster to get any dry spots you missed (hey, what can I say, it happens).
Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and arrange the rack in the middle of the oven.
Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake another 20 minutes until the top is golden and the custard is set.
Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon, then serve warm with maple syrup.

Notes

If you prefer a softer, more custardy baked French toast that leans a little closer to bread pudding, you can increase the milk to 1-1/2 cups. Using 1-1/4 cups will slice more neatly and hold together better for serving.
Slightly stale, dry bread is best.
If your brioche loaf is on the smaller side, reduce the custard slightly or add more bread.
Cut evenly sized pieces.
You can whisk 1 tablespoon of flour or cornstarch into the custard before pouring it over the toast for added stability. This is helpful if your bread is especially soft.
Let the bread sit in the custard for at least 10–15 minutes to fully absorbs the mixture.
Lightly press the bread down into the custard to make sure all the pieces are coated and soaking.
If the center still looks wet after 40 minutes, cover lightly with foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until the custard is fully set.
Assemble it the night before, cover, and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temp for about 20 minutes before baking.
Give the French toast 5–10 minutes to set before serving so it slices cleanly and holds together better.

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