Nutella Brioche French Toast Bake with Strawberries and Bananas Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Gather every ingredient before the oven is turned on, so the assembly moves quickly and the rolls do not sit out too long. Place the brioche rolls, sliced bread, strawberries, banana, milk chocolate, chocolate hazelnut spread and hazelnuts on or near a wooden board. Chill the milk chocolate for about ten minutes so it grates cleanly.

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the middle. Have the baking dish ready, and set a chef's knife, a box grater and a spoon beside the board. Keep the strawberries and banana covered until they are needed, so they stay fresh and bright in color.

Instructions

Prepare the fruit and chocolate

1. 1Prepare the fruit and chocolate
   Slice the strawberries and banana into small pieces with a chef's knife on a wooden board. Grate the milk chocolate over a box grater, letting the fine shavings fall onto the board. Keep the shavings close to hand for the final garnish.
   Look for Strawberry and banana pieces are small and even, with fine chocolate shavings scattered on the board.
   Tip Chill the milk chocolate for 10 minutes before grating so it shreds cleanly instead of smearing.
2. 2Cut the bread cubes
   Cut the sliced bread into small cubes and set them aside on the board. Hull the remaining strawberries, leaving a few halved for the finish. Keep the cut fruit covered until the rolls are ready to be stuffed.
   Look for Bread cubes are uniform and the halved strawberries are reserved on the side.
   Tip Slightly stale bread absorbs less moisture and keeps its shape in the bake.

At the end of this phase the strawberries and banana should be cut into small, even pieces, and the milk chocolate should be grated into fine, feathery shavings on the board. The fruit should look bright and fresh, with no browning on the banana.

Before moving on, check that the sliced fruit is covered and kept aside, that the bread cubes are cut and set beside the fruit, and that the grated chocolate is loose rather than clumped. Good shavings and neat pieces make the assembly faster and help the fillings distribute evenly inside every roll.

Stuff the brioche rolls

3. 3Stuff the brioche rolls
   Split each brioche roll open without cutting all the way through. Spread a generous spoonful of chocolate hazelnut spread inside, then add chopped hazelnuts, the banana and strawberry pieces, and a few bread cubes. Press the rolls closed gently.
   Look for Each roll is split, filled and closed, with the filling visible at the opening.
   Tip Use about 1 tablespoon of spread per roll so the filling stays inside while baking.
4. 4Arrange in the baking dish
   Set the stuffed rolls tightly side by side in the white rectangular baking dish. Spoon the remaining chocolate hazelnut spread over the tops, drizzle it across the surface, then scatter the remaining hazelnuts and the colorful fruit bits over everything.
   Look for The rolls fit snugly in the dish and the tops are covered in spread, nuts and fruit.
   Tip Packing the rolls tightly keeps them upright and helps them bake evenly.

At the end of this phase every brioche roll should be split open and filled with a spoonful of chocolate hazelnut spread, chopped hazelnuts, banana and strawberry pieces, and a few bread cubes. The rolls should be closed gently, with the filling visible at the opening but not spilling out. Check that no roll is torn through and that each one has a similar amount of filling. Even portions mean the rolls bake at the same rate and the top of the dish looks uniform when it comes out of the oven.

Bake until golden

5. 5Bake until golden
   Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the dish on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and glossy and the fruit is softened. Let the bake rest for 5 minutes before serving.
   Look for Tops are golden brown, glossy and the spread is melted into the rolls.
   Tip Tent the dish loosely with foil if the tops darken before the centers are warm.
6. 6Turn out and finish
   Turn the French toast bake out onto a wooden board. Drizzle the melted milk chocolate over the top, dust generously with powdered sugar, and arrange the halved strawberries so they peek out from the stuffed rolls. Serve warm.
   Look for Chocolate drizzle is glossy, powdered sugar is generous and halved strawberries show from the rolls.
   Tip Melt the chocolate in 15-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each.

At the end of this phase the rolls should be packed tightly in the baking dish, covered with more spread, chopped hazelnuts and fruit bits. Once baked, the tops should be golden brown and glossy, the fruit should be softened, and the spread should have melted into the crumb. Before serving, check that the rolls are firm enough to lift and that the dish has rested for about five minutes, which lets the filling settle so the bake slices and turns out cleanly onto the board.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is overfilling the rolls. Too much spread or fruit pushes through the split and burns on the bottom of the dish, and the rolls can collapse. Use a measured spoonful for each roll and close it gently. Another frequent error is leaving the rolls loose in the dish.

When there is space between them, they dry out at the edges and the tops bake unevenly, so pack them snugly side by side. Baking at too high a temperature also causes problems: the tops darken before the centers are warm and the spread can scorch. Keep the oven at 350°F (175°C), and tent the dish loosely with foil if the surface browns too fast.

How to tell it’s done

The bake is done when the tops are golden brown, glossy and set, and the chocolate hazelnut spread has melted into the rolls without leaking out in large amounts. The edges of the dish should be lightly bubbling and the brioche should feel springy when touched in the center. Plan on 20 to 25 minutes in the oven, checking at the lower end of that range.

Because this recipe contains no raw meat, poultry, fish or eggs to cook through, visual cues and the golden surface are the reliable signs of doneness. Let the bake rest for about five minutes before turning it out, so the filling firms slightly and the rolls hold their shape on the board.