INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CASSEROLE:
16 oz day-old, thick-cut bread, like challah or a soft Italian bread (see note below)
4 large eggs
2 ½ cups half-and-half or milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp table salt
1 (8 oz) package full-fat cream cheese, cold and cubed
2 cups sliced strawberries, stems removed
FOR THE TOPPING:
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
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INSTRUCTIONS
To make the casserole: Grease a 3-quart (13×9-inch) baking dish with butter or baking spray. Spread the bread cubes out in the dish in an even-ish layer.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, half-and-half/milk, vanilla, brown sugar, and salt together until well-combined. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and press the bread lightly into the liquid. Scatter the cream cheese cubes around the bread, tucking it into some of the open spaces – you’ll want it to get down into the middle of the bread layer. Scatter the strawberries over the bread in the same manner.
Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight or up to 12 hours.
The next morning, take the dish out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 350° F with a racked centered in the oven.
To make the topping: Stir the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Using two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients. The mixture won’t be crumbly but just make sure the butter is pretty evenly distributed. Uncover the dish and sprinkle the topping over the top of the casserole.
Bake for 45 – 50 minutes. The center should be set, the bread on top nicely browned, and the sugar in the topping caramelized. If the sugar is still uncooked on top, slip the dish under the broiler for a couple of minutes to allow the sugar to brown – watch it carefully though as it can burn quickly. Serve with maple syrup or whipped cream (if you’re feeling indulgent). We ate ours without anything on top and thought it was sweet enough as is.
NOTES
Stale bread works best for this recipe but if you’ve got fresh bread, you can dry it out in the oven. Just cube it and toast it on a baking sheet for about 15 to 20 minutes at 350° F.
