Galentines Strawberry French Toast (Print Version)

A festive casserole of custard-soaked brioche and fresh strawberries topped with a crunchy, golden crust.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Fruit

01 - 1 large loaf brioche or challah, cut into 1-inch cubes (approximately 18 ounces)
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 packed brown sugar
11 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
14 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional

→ Garnish

15 - Powdered sugar for dusting
16 - Maple syrup for serving
17 - Additional fresh strawberries for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Spread half of the bread cubes evenly in the prepared dish. Top with half of the sliced strawberries. Repeat with remaining bread cubes and strawberries.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Pour custard evenly over bread and strawberries, pressing down lightly to ensure thorough soaking.
04 - In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and ground cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter or fingertips, work in the cold diced butter until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Fold in sliced almonds if using.
05 - Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over the casserole. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight for optimal flavor development and texture absorption.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove casserole from refrigerator approximately 10 minutes before baking.
07 - Bake casserole covered with foil for 30 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown and custard is set in the center.
09 - Allow casserole to cool for 10 minutes. Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve warm with maple syrup and fresh strawberries.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You can assemble it the night before and just pop it in the oven—no scrambling over a hot stove while your guests are arriving.
  • It tastes like French toast had a luxurious sleepover with custard and came out golden, creamy, and slightly crunchy all at once.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight chilling—it's not fancy, it's functional; the bread needs time to drink in all that custard or you'll end up with some dry spots and some oversaturated spots with no middle ground.
  • Cold butter is non-negotiable for the topping; if yours is soft or warm, the whole thing will bake into a cake-like layer instead of those crunchy, irregular crumbs everyone expects and loves.
03 -
  • Toast your bread cubes lightly in a dry skillet before assembling if your bread feels too soft or fresh—it firms them up just enough to handle the custard without disintegrating.
  • Let the baked casserole rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving; this helps it hold together when you cut into it instead of falling apart into custard soup.
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