Raspberry Chocolate Almond Brioche Bake

The title says it all... Raspberry + Chocolate + Almond + Brioche. Hello! Can you imagine a tastier breakfast combination?

This Brioche Bake was inspired by one of my favorite breakfast treats: almond croissants. Sit me down with a bowl full of almond paste, and I could be content for quite some time. But wrap it up in a flaky croissant dough, and wow, you've really got something!

This frenchtoast casserole starts, as most do, with a layer of custard-soaked bread cubes. To mimic the buttery flavor and airy-goodness of a croissant, I recommend using day-old brioche. The sweet topping is a hat-tip to the almond paste filling found in the center of the croissant. It's a mixture of almond flour, sugar, and butter - how bad can that be? Of course, I couldn't leave well-enough alone, so between the bread and the almond-y topping, I sandwiched a layer of fresh raspberries and chocolate chips.

You'll notice, I haven't added any sugar to the custard mixture. I found the chocolate chips and the almond topping to be sweet enough. But I implore you: take creative liberties here if you need to satisfy that morning sweet tooth. A 1/4 to 1/2 cup of granulated sugar should do the trick. And of course, I wouldn't stop you from serving with a dollop of whipped cream!

Raspberry Chocolate Almond Brioche Bake

Ingredients

For the brioche bake

· 4 cups cubed, day old bread (brioche or challah)

· 6 eggs

· 1 cup half & half

· Pinch of salt

· 1 tsp vanilla extract

· 1 tsp almond extract

For the topping

· 3 tbsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

· 6oz fresh raspberries

· ½ cup almond flour

· ¼ cup brown sugar

· ½ tsp almond extract

· Pinch of salt

· 2 tbsp butter, chilled and cubed

· 2 tbsp sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350F.

For the brioche bake…Grease a 2.5qt baking dish. Scatter the bread over the bottom of the dish.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half & half, salt, and extracts. Pour the custard over the bread . Using your fingers, gently press the bread cubes into an even layer to ensure all bread is moistened. Allow to soak for at least 15 minutes or overnight.

For the topping…Scatter the chocolate chips and raspberries over the top of the soaked bread. In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, brown sugar, extract, and salt. Stir to combine. Cut the chilled butter into the almond, sugar mixture using the back of a fork. The mixture should start to resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the chocolate and raspberries. Scatter the sliced almonds over the top.

Bake for about 45 minutes until the center is puffed and the top is deep golden brown and bubbling. If desired, serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Serves 4-6

GF Friendly

Gluten Free Friendly!

Swap the bread for your favorite gluten free bread. I’d recommend Canyon Bakehouse Hawaiian Sweet Bread. The subtle sweetness of the loaf is about as close as I’ve come to finding a solid substitute for a true brioche.