Blood Orange & Cardamom Baked Brioche Perdu
I love the energy of a bustling neighborhood bistro brunch, but I absolutely refuse to stand at my own stove flipping individual slices of French toast while my friends drink Chenin Blanc without me. Non, merci. This baked pain perdu is my love letter to lazy weekend mornings in the California sun. The inspiration struck me at the Santa Monica farmers' market when I met Julian, a citrus farmer whose blood oranges were so fiercely tart-sweet they practically demanded a stage. I realized that by ditching the traditional heavy cream, the bright citrus and warm cardamom could really sing in a whole milk and Meyer lemon custard. We tear an entire loaf of buttery brioche into craggy pieces—please, use the good butter brioche—soak it, and bake it until puffed and golden. It is rustic, deeply comforting, and entirely unfussy. Make it your own! Throw in a handful of toasted pistachios, or swap the blood orange for whatever stone fruit is showing off at your local market. Just promise me you won't stress over it. Pour a glass of pet-nat, slide the baking dish into the oven, and join your friends at the table.
Featured Recipe
Blood Orange & Cardamom Baked Brioche Perdu
I love the energy of a bustling neighborhood bistro brunch, but I absolutely refuse to stand at my own stove flipping individual slices of French toast while my friends drink Chenin Blanc without me. This baked pain perdu is my love letter to lazy weekend mornings. We tear an entire loaf of buttery brioche into craggy pieces, soak it in a bright, whole milk and Meyer lemon custard, and bake it until puffed and golden—leaving the heavy cream behind so the vibrant California citrus can really sing.
Save a copy to your collection for editing
Timeline
Ingredients
- 1 large day-old brioche loaf(torn into 2-inch chunks)
- 5 large eggs(room temperature)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar(loosely packed)
- 1 tbsp Meyer lemon zest(freshly grated)
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp vanilla paste(or high-quality vanilla extract)
- 1 pinch flaky sea salt
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter(softened, for greasing)
- 3 blood oranges(peeled and sliced or supremed)
- 1 tbsp orange blossom honey(or a good wildflower honey)
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche(unsweetened)
- 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Smear a 9x13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish generously with the 1 tbsp unsalted butter.
5 min
Tip: Don't skimp on buttering the dish; we want those edges to caramelize, not stick.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 5 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 1/3 cup light brown sugar, 1 tbsp Meyer lemon zest, 1 tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp vanilla paste, and a generous 1 pinch flaky sea salt. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is uniform and smells like a vibrant Parisian pastry shop.
5 min
Tip: Notice there's no heavy cream? Brioche is loaded with butter already. Whole milk gives us a perfectly silky custard without weighing the dish down.
- 3
Tumble the torn 1 large day-old brioche loaf into the bowl with your custard. Using your hands or a large wooden spoon, gently press the bread down so it acts like a sponge. Let it hang out and soak for 15 minutes, tossing once halfway through. You want every craggy piece to drink up that golden liquid.
15 min
Tip: The bread must be stale! If your brioche is too fresh, slice it and leave it in a low oven for 10 minutes to dry out, otherwise it turns to mush.
- 4
While the brioche takes its bath, take your 3 blood oranges and carefully cut away the peel and pith. Slice them into beautiful, bright pinwheels or supreme them into segments. Toss them gently in a small bowl with the 1 tbsp orange blossom honey and let them macerate.
10 min
Tip: Any citrus works here—Cara Cara oranges or even tart kumquats—but blood oranges bring a dramatic, gorgeous color to the final plate.
- 5
Give your brioche one last gentle fold, then pour the soaked bread and any remaining custard into your buttered baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes, until the top is puffed, deep golden-brown, and crispy on the edges, while the center remains a luscious, wobbly custard.
35 min
Tip: If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- 6
Pull the pain perdu from the oven and let it breathe for just a moment—it will deflate slightly, which is completely normal. Spoon the honey-macerated blood oranges over the top, scatter with the 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds, and serve warm with generous dollops of the 1/2 cup crème fraîche.
5 min
Tip: The tangy crème fraîche balances the sweet brioche perfectly. Pour a glass of something bubbly and enjoy the morning.
Chef's Notes
This dish is incredibly forgiving. If you want to assemble it the night before, just cover the unbaked, soaked brioche with wrap and leave it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, let it sit on the counter while the oven preheats, then bake as directed. You might need to add 5 extra minutes of baking time.
Marguerite Lavigne
French soul, California sun
I grew up in a small village outside Lyon, where my grandmother taught me that the best meals come from respecting your ingredients. After training at Le Cordon Bleu and spending years in Parisian kitchens, I moved to San Francisco and fell in love with California's farmers markets and wine country. Now I cook the food I wish my grandmother could taste—French technique with California abundance, where a perfect roast chicken might come with Meyer lemon and wild fennel instead of tarragon.