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pear french toast casserole dusted with confectioners sugar on a white marble surface with a floral linen

Overnight Pear French Toast

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5 from 1 review

This overnight french toast bake has layers of juicy pears and pockets of creamy mascarpone. Not overly sweet, this pear french toast casserole is the perfect special breakfast treat you can make ahead of time then just bake fresh in the morning. Step-by-step photos teach you how to bake this recipe!

  • Total Time: 9 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 9 Slices Brioche Style Bread (stale or dried out)
  • 9oz (Just over 1 Cup) Whole Milk (or Half Low Fat Milk + Half & Half)
  • 2oz (1/4 Cup) Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1oz (2 Tablespoons) Melted Butter
  • 4 Large Whole Eggs + 2 Large Egg Yolks
  • 4 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Bartlett Pears, peeled and sliced into medium slices
  • 3oz-4oz Mascarpone Cheese or Cream Cheese
  • Confectioners Sugar, for dusting
  • Maple Syrup for serving

Instructions

  1. If the brioche is not stale then you need to cook it to get rid of some of the moisture- otherwise, you will end up with a soggy french toast recipe. To dry the bread heat the oven to 300F/149C and place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, bake for 10 minutes then flip to the other side and bake for another 5 minutes. Let bread cool.
  2. In a large bowl mix together the milk, cream, butter, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. Make sure to mix until no trace of the egg is left behind. Lightly butter a deep-dish 9" pie dish or 9" square pan and set aside. Take each piece of bread and dip it in the milk mixture then place it in the prepared dish.
  3. Add slices of pears and little chunks of mascarpone in between the layers I use a small cookie scoop to make balls of mascarpone. Pour the remaining custard mixture evenly over the whole french toast bake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  4. In the morning take the French toast bake out of the fridge and sit on the counter for 30 minutes to take off the chill. Preheat the oven to 350F/ 180C. Remove the plastic wrap from the dish and lightly cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, remove foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. The bread will puff up and be a rich golden brown when finished. You are looking for an internal temperature the internal temperature should be a minimum of 170F/77C, the inside of the pudding should be set but still have a slow wobble.
  5. Let cool for 10 minutes then serve. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Delicious served warm or cold, with maple syrup or confectioners sugar.
  • Author: Elizabeth Waterson I Confessions of a Baking Queen
  • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
  • Chill Time: 8 Hours
  • Cook Time: 60 Minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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