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French Toast Casserole For Dinner

french toast casserole for dinner
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Thick brioche cubes soaked overnight in a cinnamon-vanilla custard, baked with a brown sugar caramel crust until golden and crackling — the sweet breakfast-for-dinner the whole family runs to the table for.

Ingredients

Scale

For the casserole (serves 8):

  • 1 loaf (about 16 oz / 450g) brioche, challah, or thick-cut white bread, cut or torn into 1.5-inch cubes (day-old or slightly stale is ideal)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
  • 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of salt

For the brown sugar crust:

  • 1/3 cup (70g) packed brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp (45g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Optional: 1/3 cup chopped pecans (check they are from a halal-certified facility if your family follows strict certification — plain pecans are naturally fine)

To serve:

 

  • Maple syrup (warm it — it matters)
  • Fresh berries, sliced banana, or powdered sugar
  • Optional: whipped cream

Instructions

1. Grease a 9×13 baking dish. Fill with bread cubes.

2. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour over bread, press down so every cube absorbs custard. Cover with buttered plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (minimum 4 hours).

3. Next day: preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix brown sugar, butter and cinnamon; scatter over the cold casserole.

4. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes until custard is set (clean knife test) and top is deep golden. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

5. Serve warm with maple syrup and fresh berries.

Notes

Day-old bread is essential — fresh bread floats and doesn’t absorb custard properly. Add the brown sugar topping RIGHT BEFORE baking, never before refrigerating. Butter the underside of the plastic wrap to prevent sticking. The knife test is more reliable than the timer — insert in the center, it should come out clean.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://fabiloustaste.com/french-toast-casserole-for-dinner/