Baked French Toast with Cream Cheese and Raspberries
This one-dish Baked French Toast Casserole with Cream Cheese and Raspberries is the ultimate make-ahead breakfast for entertaining. Soak brioche bread in a sweet custard with tangy raspberries and sweetened cream cheese the night before, then bake in the morning for an impressive, crowd-pleasing brunch.
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Calories: 562kcal
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs beaten
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 9 tablespoons granulated sugar DIVIDED
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- Butter for dish
- ¾ loaf brioche or challah sliced and slices quartered
- 2 pints (12-ounces) fresh raspberries
- Confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Mix together the eggs, milk, and 4 tablespoons sugar. In another bowl combine cream cheese with 3 tablespoons sugar. Butter a 2½-quart baking dish (similar to a 9-by-13-inch dish).
- Arrange half of the brioche pieces in a slightly overlapping layer on the bottom of the dish. Divide the cream cheese mixture in half and drop spoonfuls of the first half over the bread. Top with half of the raspberries. Pour about ⅓ of the egg-milk mixture over this layer.
- Repeat layering process with remaining brioche, spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture, and raspberries. Pour remaining ⅔ egg mixture over the top, soaking all the top pieces of brioche. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Heat oven to 350ºF. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle the top with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake strata until eggs are set, the outside has puffed slightly, and the top is golden, 50 to 55 minutes. An instant read thermometer should read 165ºF to 170ºF when it is done cooking. You can also test for doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center; it should come out mostly clean with only a few crumbs attached to the outside. Tip: If the top is browning too quickly, you can cover the casserole with foil for the rest of the baking time.
- Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
- Leftover bread pudding can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Gently reheat in the microwave if desired to serve warm.
Notes
- Make this the night before to save time in the morning.
- If you can't find a loaf of brioche or challah, slice brioche buns and use the slices.
- You can use mixed berries or just blackberries or blueberries if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 562kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 273mg | Sodium: 397mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 1248IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 2mg
