Start Your Morning with this Decadent Breakfast Strata

It’s said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Here at Rachael’s Dowry Bed and Breakfast in Baltimore, our guests wake up to a two-course gourmet breakfast made from scratch with local and seasonal ingredients. The morning meal begins with fresh baked goods, fruit, yogurt, granola and the like, before moving onto the main dish.

From our take on eggs Benedict to flavorful pancake stacks, we make a variety of breakfast dishes for our overnight guests. Our most requested recipe is, without a doubt, our Apple Cinnamon French Toast Strata. The original recipe was inherited from the inn's previous owners, but has been tweaked to sweet perfection — chef's kiss! It's a perfectly decadent breakfast you might not allow yourself at home, but since calories don’t count when you’re on vacation, you’re allowed to indulge at Rachael’s Dowry. Just this once.

This recipe can be adapted to use seasonal fruits and flavors and can even be completely assembled the night before serving, popped in the refrigerator, and baked the next morning — perfect if you're hosting guests like we do. Before serving, top the strata with maple cream, fresh berries, chopped nuts or a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s a show stopper! It pairs perfectly with bacon… but then again, what doesn’t?

We happily share our treasured recipe with you to try at home. Or better yet, book a stay with us at Rachael’s Dowry Bed and Breakfast and let us serve you in the dining room of our historic inn before you head out for a day of exploration around our beloved Baltimore.

Rachael’s Dowry Apple Cinnamon French Toast Strata

Bake in two 9-inch cake pans and cut each into six pieces as a main dish. You can certainly cut the recipe in half or freeze one pan for a future use.

Bread and Fruit Component

1-pound loaf challah bread or a sweet bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large apple, peeled and diced
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
¼ cup dried currants or raisins
¼ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup shredded coconut

Egg Mixture

14 eggs, beaten
2 cup half & half
¼  cup granulated sugar
½  cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
¼  teaspoon nutmeg
Dash each of cardamom and ginger (optional)

Crumble Topping

1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½  teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small squares

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cubed bread, apple, lemon zest, dried currants or raisins, pecans, and coconut. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg mixture ingredients. Pour egg mixture over bread and fruit and toss until coated. Divide evenly between two greased 9-inch cake pans.

Add crumble topping ingredients to a food processor and pulse until they come together into a wet crumble. Alternatively, you can use a pastry cutter to combine. Distribute crumble topping equally over bread mixture in pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, or until strata temperature reaches 165 degrees. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.