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

Before you start

Set an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch rectangular baking dish. Set out a wooden cutting board, a sharp knife, a box grater, a mixing bowl and a whisk. Slice the brioche about 1 inch thick, hull and slice the strawberries, slice the banana, peel and slice the kiwi, and rinse the blackberries. Grate the chocolate over the board so the curls are ready before you start rolling. Lay the slices out in a single row so the assembly moves quickly. Keeping the cut fruit and grated chocolate cold until you use them helps the rolls hold their shape while they soak.

Instructions

Fill and roll the brioche

1. 1Prepare the fruit and chocolate
   Slice the brioche about 1 inch thick. Hull and slice the strawberries, slice the banana, and peel and slice the kiwi on a wooden board. Grate the chocolate over the board with a box grater to make fine curls for the filling and topping.
   Look for Brioche slices are even, and the fruit and grated chocolate sit ready on the board.
   Tip Chill the grated chocolate briefly so it stays in fine curls and does not melt on the warm bread.
2. 2Fill and roll the brioche
   Spread each brioche slice with Nutella. Layer strawberry and banana slices and a sprinkle of grated chocolate on top, then roll each slice into a swirl and secure it with a toothpick. Arrange the rolls snugly in the baking dish.
   Look for Each roll holds its shape with the filling visible in the swirl.
   Tip Roll gently so the brioche stays soft and the Nutella does not squeeze out.

Each brioche slice is spread with Nutella and layered with strawberry, banana and grated chocolate, then rolled into a tight swirl and held with a toothpick. The rolls should look full and even, with the filling visible in the spiral and no Nutella spilling onto the board.

Check that each roll sits snugly in the baking dish, leaving only a small gap between pieces so the custard can reach every side. The bread should feel soft and pliable rather than torn or cracked, because damaged slices tend to absorb custard unevenly and can split during baking. If a roll loosens, reroll it gently and secure it again before you move on to the custard.

Soak the rolls in custard

3. 3Make the egg custard
   In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and evenly pale yellow. Pour the custard slowly over the rolls, letting it soak into the bread until saturated, about 30 minutes.
   Look for The custard is smooth and pale yellow, and the bread turns heavy and moist as it soaks.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Press the rolls down gently now and then so every piece absorbs the custard.
4. 4Top with fruit and bake
   Scatter the remaining strawberries, kiwi and blackberries over the rolls. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until the tops are golden brown and puffed and the custard is set, about 40 minutes. The egg custard must reach 160°F (71°C) to be cooked through.
   Look for Tops are golden brown, puffed and set, with no wet custard showing at the center.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Cover loosely with foil if the tops brown faster than the center sets.

The custard should look smooth and pale yellow, with the eggs fully blended into the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour it slowly over the rolls so it runs into the spaces between them. After about 30 minutes, the bread should look heavy, moist and evenly colored, with the custard fully absorbed.

Press the rolls down gently to check that no dry patches remain at the edges or the center. The eggs should be fully incorporated, and the custard should be glossy and creamy rather than thin or separated. If pockets of dry bread remain, spoon a little more custard over them and let the dish rest a few minutes longer.

Bake until golden and set

5. 5Slice, dust and drizzle
   Let the bake rest for about 30 minutes so it firms up. Slice with a spatula to reveal the strawberry and chocolate layers, then dust with powdered sugar. Drizzle with melted chocolate just before serving.
   Look for Slices hold their shape and show clear fruit and chocolate layers.
   Tip Wait 30 minutes before slicing so the rolls hold together cleanly.

Once baked at 350°F (175°C), the tops should be golden brown and puffed, and the rolls should feel firm when you press them lightly in the center. The custard must reach 160°F (71°C) to be cooked through, which you can confirm with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a roll. The edges should look slightly crisp, the fruit on top should look glossy, and the kitchen should smell of warm bread, vanilla and chocolate. If the surface is browning too quickly, cover the dish loosely with foil and keep baking until the center is fully set and the custard shows no wet sheen.

Common mistakes

The most common problem is under-soaking the rolls. If the custard has not reached the center, the bread will be dry in places and the filling can stay cool. Give the rolls the full 30 minutes, and press them down now and then so every piece absorbs the custard. Overfilling is the second mistake: too much Nutella or fruit pushes out of the swirl, burns on the pan and makes the rolls hard to slice neatly.

Use a thin, even layer of spread and a modest amount of fruit. Baking without checking the center is the third risk, because the surface can turn golden while the custard is still loose. Test the middle with a thermometer, and bake until it reaches 160°F (71°C).

How to tell it’s done

The bake is done when the tops are golden brown and puffed, the sides look slightly set, and the center of the dish feels firm when you press it lightly. For a clear check, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of a roll. The egg custard is cooked through at 160°F (71°C), and the bread should look moist but fully set, with no shiny or unset custard pooling in the dish.

If the center is still loose, return the dish to the oven in short intervals and check again. Once it reaches the safe temperature, remove it from the oven and let it rest before slicing so the layers firm up and hold their shape on the plate.

• Egg dishes: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part