Brunch is a maverick. It does what it wants, when it wants. If it wants to be savory and rich, it morphs into braised short ribs over polenta. Simple but satisfying? A bagel with lox and cream cheese.

What about sweet and decadent? You’ve got your answer right here.

These mini stratas hit the perfect balance between sweet and savory, so it avoids being exclusively tagged as dessert, but will satisfy that sweet tooth. And the best thing is that the sweetness comes from fresh juicy fruit and soft egg bread, like challah or brioche bread–there’s no added sugar. The pear and strawberries are a delicious contrast to the tangy goat cheese and earthy thyme.

It’s ooey-gooey, delectable and completely acceptable to have before noon. Hey, its got eggs, right?

Pear & Strawberry Mini Stratas
with Thyme-Infused Goat Cheese

Serves 4

– 1 Tbs. butter
– 2 medium shallots
– 2 oz. goat cheese
– 1 tsp. chopped thyme
– 8 eggs
– 1 cup heavy cream
– 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
– 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
– 1 pear, thinly sliced and cut into bite-size pieces
– 4 large strawberries, thinly sliced
– 20 bite-size pieces of challah or brioche bread

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small skillet, heat the butter over medium-low heat and cook the shallots until soft, about three minutes.

In the meantime, incorporate the thyme into the cheese until evenly distributed, then set aside.

Whisk the eggs, cream, nutmeg and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Pour the egg mixture evenly into 4 medium-sized ramekins, then evenly distribute the cheese, shallots, pear, strawberries and bread. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until strata has risen and has no visible runny liquid, about 30 minutes.

Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!