I grew up with my mom making cheesy strata, a dish that’s been a classic in American cooking since the start of the 20th century. So when I came across an apricot and cream cheese version that was sweet instead of salty I knew that I’d be making this ASAP.

There’s something about fruit and cream cheese that’s so satisfying. It’s a perfect combination – especially when you throw some brioche into the mix!

It’s called “strata” since you place the ingredients into the baking dish in layers. This means that in every bite you get a little taste of each component. The slightly tart cream cheese is heavenly when paired with the sweet and mild flavor of apricot jam and canned apricots.

This recipe also has a few ingredients that bring it up a notch in terms of flavor. Ground ginger, ground cinnamon, almond extract, and maple syrup flavor the milk and egg mixture that you pour over all the layers.

This needs to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow the bread to soak up the milk and egg mixture. Then when it’s time to bake put a little more apricot jam and then some sliced almonds on top for some crunch.

At the 30 minute mark you’ll want to cover the strata to prevent the highest points of the bread from burning.

A dish like this is best served warm and is perfect for breakfast of brunch. But, it’s so delicious that it also makes a wonderful dessert that’s never too rich. That’s the beauty of this creamy apricot strata.