Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 450 g brioche or challah bread, stale, cut into 2.5cm cubes
- 15 g unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the dish
Custard
- 8 large eggs, room temperature
- 500 ml whole milk, cold
- 250 ml heavy cream, cold
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 15 ml vanilla extract
- 5 g ground cinnamon
- 3 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 469 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 24 g
- Sodium
- 470 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 260 mg
- Potassium
- 269 mg
- Calcium
- 189 mg
- Iron
- 2.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 27 mg
- Phosphorus
- 231 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 286 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.31 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.65 mg
- Niacin
- 2.9 mg
- Folate
- 87 mcg
- Water
- 132 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Grease the 9x13 inch baking dish generously with softened butter. Place the cubed bread into the prepared dish in an even layer.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt. Whisk vigorously until the sugars are fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth and well incorporated.
Slowly pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes in the baking dish. Gently press down on the bread with your hands or a spatula to ensure every piece is submerged and can absorb the liquid.
Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill and soak overnight.
The next morning, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
Remove the plastic wrap if used. If using foil, leave it on for the first 30 minutes of baking. Bake the casserole for 45 to 55 minutes total. Remove the foil for the final 15 to 25 minutes so the top can brown. The casserole is done when the center is puffed, the edges are golden, and the internal temperature reaches 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit) to ensure the eggs are fully cooked and safe to consume.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the custard to finish setting up.
Chef's Notes
- Drying your bread is non-negotiable for the perfect texture. Fresh bread will turn into mush when soaked in custard, whereas stale bread acts like a sponge, drinking up the rich mixture while maintaining its structural integrity.
- For an extra layer of flavor, lightly toast the cinnamon in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding it to your wet ingredients to bloom the essential oils.
- Do not skip the resting step after baking. The residual heat carries over to finish gently cooking the eggs, allowing the structure to set so it cuts into clean portions.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap individual portions tightly in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight container.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175 C / 350 F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 60 seconds.
Troubleshooting
Casserole is soggy and wet in the center rather than custardy
Cause: The bread used was too fresh and contained too much natural moisture, or the casserole was underbaked.
Fix: Cover with foil to prevent the top from burning and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Prevention: Use sturdy, day-old bread. If your bread is fresh, cut it into cubes and toast it in a 120 degree Celsius (250 degree Fahrenheit) oven for 15 minutes to dry it out before soaking.
Top layer of bread is dry and tough
Cause: Bread cubes were not pressed down into the custard mixture before chilling, leaving them exposed without hydration.
Fix: Serve with generous amounts of warm maple syrup or fruit compote to add moisture.
Prevention: Ensure all bread cubes are thoroughly moistened and pressed into the liquid before covering and refrigerating.
Cultural Context
Historically, French toast was known as pain perdu, meaning lost bread. It was an economical way to rescue stale, otherwise lost bread by revitalizing it with rich eggs and milk. Translating this technique into a baked casserole maintains the budget-friendly spirit of the original dish while allowing it to feed a crowd with minimal morning effort.
