Celebrating National French Toast Day with Chocolate & Strawberries!

Happy National French Toast Day! We could have gone the traditional route and shared a recipe for a simple, eggy brioche sliced number but with Christmas coming soon, we have something a little more festive. Strawberries and chocolate come together for one of the sweetest, tastiest french toast bakes we've made on the blog to date. More like dessert than anything, this breakfast dish is one for the books. 

Make this for Christmas morning and you will be everyone's favorite person. Think of a chocolate covered strawberry and picture it exploding over a savory traditional french toast casserole. The chocolate melts beautifully and the strawberries soften for a melt-in-your-mouth experience unlike any other. Finished with a chocolate drizzle, it's nothing short of perfection. Serve with a little whipped cream to make it even more decadent or as is, which is how I like it. 

This is not a weekday breakfast. It needs an overnight soak in the fridge and then about 40-45 minutes in the oven. If you're an early bird and get up before everyone else, feel free to make this for a weekday but being able to sit in your pajamas without feeling rushed savoring every bite is what really makes this a special weekend or holiday breakfast dish. It's not often that you get to have chocolate for breakfast!

Strawberry Chocolate Chip French Toast Bake
Ingredients:
1 loaf of Stale Bread, cut into chunks
10 large Eggs
2 cups Milk
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, miniature or regular-sized chopped
1 cup Strawberries, sliced
2 tbsp. Chocolate Syrup

Directions:
1. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Evenly add the bread cubes throughout the dish with 2/3 of the chocolate chips. Mix together lightly with your hands. 

2. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread and chocolate. Cover tight with plastic wrap  and set in the refrigerator overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the casserole from the fridge. Top with strawberries and remaining chocolate. Bake covered for 15 minutes. Remove foil and finish baking 25-30 minutes until the casserole is set. 

4. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Serve.