9cupsday-old challah or brioche,cut into 1-inch cubes
Topping:
1/4cupall-purpose flour
1/4cuppacked light brown sugar
1/2teaspoonchai spice mixture
1/8teaspoonkosher salt
3tablespoonsunsalted butter,cold and chopped into small pieces
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, cloves and ginger. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture.
Use the softened butter to grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and place the bread inside the pan, gently pressing it down. Briefly re-whisk the liquid ingredients and pour over the bread, covering all of the exposed bread. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight to allow the mixture to absorb into the bread.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon chai spice mixture, and salt with a fork. Add the cold butter and press the mixture together, stirring until a crumb topping has formed.
Uncover the loaf pan and press the bread down gently until the liquid begins seeping up. Spread the topping evenly over the soaked bread. Bake for 50-55 minutes until the top is golden and crunchy.
Allow to cool for several minutes before slicing and serving.