Description
A comforting and delicious Apple Cinnamon French Toast Bake featuring soft brioche bread soaked in a cinnamon-spiced custard, layered with diced apples, baked to golden perfection. Perfect for a cozy breakfast or brunch, served with a dusting of powdered sugar and drizzled with caramel sauce or maple syrup.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Fruit
- 6 cups brioche bread, cubed
- 2 medium apples, peeled and diced
Custard Mixture
- 5 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping and Garnish
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
- Caramel sauce or maple syrup, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Bread: Cube your brioche bread into bite-sized pieces and allow them to dry slightly at room temperature. This step helps the bread absorb the custard more effectively without becoming soggy.
- Prepare Apples: Peel the apples and dice them into small chunks to ensure they bake evenly throughout the dish.
- Mix Custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, packed brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and fully combined.
- Layer Ingredients: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish thoroughly. Add half of the cubed bread evenly into the dish, followed by half of the diced apples. Repeat the layers with the remaining bread and apples to create a structured bake.
- Pour Custard and Soak: Evenly pour the custard mixture over the layered bread and apples. Gently press down with a spatula or your hands to help the bread soak up the custard mixture evenly.
- Rest the Bake: Let the dish sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow further custard absorption, or cover and refrigerate overnight for enhanced flavor and texture.
- Preheat Oven and Add Butter: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top of the soaked bread and apples.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes to cook the custard through while maintaining moisture.
- Finish Baking Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the custard is set and no longer jiggly.
- Cool and Serve: Let the French toast bake cool for 10 minutes before serving. Optionally, dust with powdered sugar and serve with caramel sauce or maple syrup for extra sweetness.
Notes
- For best results, let the bread dry for a few hours or overnight to prevent sogginess.
- Apples can be substituted with pears or berries for a different flavor.
- This bake can be prepared the night before and baked fresh in the morning.
- Use unsalted butter for better control over salt content.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute milk and cream with plant-based alternatives.
