Baked French toast for Christmas morning

Name: Baked French toast for Christmas morning
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6-8
Ingredients: 400 g day-old bread, brioche or leftover panettone or stollen (about 10 thick slices); 5 eggs; 400 ml milk; 100 ml double cream; 50 g caster sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; a pinch of salt; 30 g butter, plus extra for greasing; 250 g mixed red berries (raspberries, mixed frozen berries or cherries); 2 tbsp demerara or soft brown sugar; yoghurt, maple syrup and icing sugar, to serve

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 40 min · Makes: 6-8 · For: Ages 3–5 Ages 6–9 Ages 10–12 For grown-ups

Christmas morning is busy enough with stockings, wrapping paper and excited children, so breakfast should be easy. This French toast bake is the answer: you assemble it the evening before, and in the morning it goes into the oven while everyone is opening their stockings.

It comes out puffed and golden, with a soft, custardy middle and bursts of red fruit. It is also a brilliant way to use up leftover bread or Christmas bread.

Tips

Stale bread works best, especially brioche or an enriched loaf.
Press the bread down so every piece soaks up the custard.
Frozen berries work well; no need to thaw them.

Little helpers

Children can tear or arrange the bread, crack and whisk the eggs and scatter the berries. In the morning, they can be in charge of the maple syrup.

Ingredients

400 g day-old bread, brioche or leftover panettone or stollen (about 10 thick slices)
5 eggs
400 ml milk
100 ml double cream
50 g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
a pinch of salt
30 g butter, plus extra for greasing
250 g mixed red berries (raspberries, mixed frozen berries or cherries)
2 tbsp demerara or soft brown sugar
yoghurt, maple syrup and icing sugar, to serve

Method

Butter a baking dish of about 20 x 30 cm. Cut the bread into thick fingers or large cubes.
Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
Arrange half the bread in the dish, scatter over half the berries, then add the rest of the bread and berries.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the top and press the bread down gently so it soaks it all up.
Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
In the morning: take the dish out of the fridge while you heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4). Dot the top with small pieces of butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden and the custard is set in the middle. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
Let it stand for 5 minutes, then serve warm with yoghurt, a drizzle of maple syrup and a dusting of icing sugar.