Overnight French Toast Recipe

Prepare pan and brioche

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously butter a 9x13-inch baking dish (or equivalent). Place the cubed brioche evenly into the prepared dish, pressing down so pieces are snug but not crushed.

Make custard

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until combined and slightly frothy. Whisk in the whole milk, heavy cream, pure vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and sea salt until smooth.

Combine bread and custard

Pour the custard mixture evenly over the brioche, nudging and pressing cubes so they absorb custard. Dot the top of the bread with small pieces of the 2 tablespoons butter.

Soak overnight

Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight (8–12 hours) to allow the brioche to fully soak up the custard.

Bake

Remove the dish from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes while the oven heats to 350°F (175°C). Uncover and bake on the center rack for 35–45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set (a knife inserted into the center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.

Rest

Remove from oven and let rest for 10–15 minutes to firm up before serving. The baking dish will continue to set as it cools slightly.

While the casserole rests or during the last 15 minutes of baking, combine the sliced strawberries, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a bowl. Gently toss and let macerate at room temperature for 15–30 minutes, until the berries release their juices and are glossy but still intact. Taste and add up to 1 more teaspoon sugar if you prefer sweeter berries.

Make whipped cream

Chill a mixing bowl and whisk (or beaters) for 5–10 minutes in the fridge if possible. Pour 1 cup heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl, add 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whip by hand or with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft to medium peaks form. Do not overwhip.

Serve: Spoon warm portions of the baked overnight French toast onto plates. Top each portion with a generous spoonful of macerated strawberries and their juices, a drizzle of maple syrup (about 2 tablespoons per serving, more to taste), and a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired.

Storage and reheating: Cover leftovers and refrigerate up to 3 days. To reheat, warm individual portions in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes or microwave for 45–60 seconds until heated through. Add fresh strawberries, syrup, and whipped cream when serving.