Scheiterhaufen

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and generously butter a deep baking dish. Slice stale or day-old bread into thick pieces and set aside.

Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples, then slice the peaches into similar-sized pieces. Toss the fruit with a generous pinch of cinnamon and a small amount of sugar if desired.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk or cream, a pinch of cinnamon, and a pinch of sugar until well combined to form the custard mixture.

Arrange a layer of bread slices across the bottom of the prepared baking dish, then layer the spiced apple and peach slices evenly on top. Repeat the layering until all bread and fruit are used, finishing with a layer of bread on top.

Pour the custard mixture slowly and evenly over the layered bread and fruit, ensuring all the bread is thoroughly soaked. Dot the top generously with small pieces of butter.

Allow the assembled dish to rest so the bread fully absorbs the custard before baking.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is set with no liquid movement in the center.

Remove the Scheiterhaufen from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before serving. Serve warm, optionally dusted with powdered sugar or accompanied by vanilla sauce or whipped cream.