Recipe Background
Ravishing Raspberry Brunch Bake combines sweet citrusy custard with raspberries for a perfect brunch treat.
When I was passing my driving test, my nerves were like tightly wound piano strings. To calm my frazzled mind, I decided to throw a post-test brunch for my family, imagining myself as someone who could parallel park *and* whip up a flawless meal. As I was roaming the aisles at the grocery store, inspiration hit when I spotted ripe raspberries—a nod to the summer months approaching and a celebration of new beginnings. Back home, I dug up a loaf of day-old challah, perfect for soaking up a luscious mixture of eggs, half-and-half, and just a touch of orange zest for brightness.
As the kitchen filled with the aroma of baking vanilla and toasting brioche, I busied myself with setting the table. Cooking tip from that morning? Pressing down the bread before it bakes helps it soak up the custard beautifully, letting each bite become a gentle embrace of sweet and citrusy notes. Just remember to check the bake about halfway through so it's golden, not too dark. I vividly remember mixing those eggs with a light heart, watching the beautiful custard pour over the bread, and feeling a surge of newfound confidence.
That day's brunch was not just a meal; it was a delightful reminder that small victories deserve to be celebrated, often with a dash of orange zest and a sprinkling of raspberries. Success is sweeter when shared with those you love, and nothing bonds a family faster than the quiet, shared joy of passing a milestone together.
Ingredients
- 10 eggs
- 2 3/4 cups half-and-half
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar divided
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 cups challah bread or brioche bead day-old, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 (12-ounce) container fresh raspberries
- powdered sugar optional, to taste, for serving
- maple syrup optional, to taste, for serving
Directions
- Grease a 9x13-inch oval baking dish.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs, the half-and-half, 1/3 cup of the white sugar, the brown sugar, the vanilla, the orange zest, and the salt and whisk to combine.
- Spread 1/2 of the bread pieces in the prepared baking dish.
- Spread the raspberries over the bread layer in the baking dish.
- Top the raspberries with the remaining bread pieces.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread-raspberry mixture in the baking dish. Make sure to press the bread-raspberry mixture down lightly to moisten completely.
- Sprinkle the top of the bake with the remaining white sugar.
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate the casserole for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Unwrap the casserole.
- Bake the casserole until the custard is set and the top is puffed and browned, about 1 hour-1 hour 10 minutes. Make sure to check the casserole after 45 minutes and cover the dish with foil if it is browning too quickly.
- Allow the bake to cool for 10 minutes.
- Serve the bake sprinkled with the powdered sugar and drizzled with the maple syrup.
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