Crème Brûlée French Toast (Printable)

Overnight-soaked brioche with caramel bottom and torched sugar crust

# What You Need:

→ Bread

01 - 1 loaf (approximately 1 pound) brioche or challah bread, sliced 3/4-inch thick

→ Custard

02 - 6 large eggs
03 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Caramel Layer

08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
09 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
10 - 2 tablespoons corn syrup

→ Brûlée Topping

11 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar

# Steps:

01 - Melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until mixture is smooth and bubbling. Pour caramel evenly into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Place bread slices in a single layer over the caramel, allowing slight overlap if necessary to fit the entire loaf.
03 - Whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a large mixing bowl until completely smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour custard mixture evenly over bread slices. Gently press bread down with spatula to ensure thorough absorption of liquid.
05 - Cover baking dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours to allow bread to fully absorb custard and develop flavor.
06 - Remove dish from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature while oven preheats to 350°F.
07 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until French toast is puffed, golden brown, and custard is completely set in center.
08 - Let baked French toast rest for 5 minutes before proceeding with sugar topping.
09 - Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over surface. Using kitchen torch, melt and caramelize sugar until deep golden brown and bubbly. Alternatively, place under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
10 - Serve warm, spooning caramel sauce from bottom of dish over each portion.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The overnight soak means you can prep everything the night before and just bake when guests arrive
  • That crackly burnt sugar crust turns ordinary French toast into something that feels like dessert for breakfast
02 -
  • The bread needs to be slightly stale or dried out. Fresh面包 will turn to mush. I slice mine the day before and leave it uncovered on the counter.
  • That room temperature rest before baking actually matters. Cold bread going into a hot oven can cause uneven cooking.
03 -
  • Use a glass baking dish so you can see if all the custard has been absorbed
  • If the top browns too quickly tent with foil for the last 10 minutes

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