Decadent Crème Brûlée French Toast (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Caramel Base
01 -
30 millilitres corn syrup
02 -
200 grams brown sugar, packed
03 -
115 grams unsalted butter
→ Custard
04 -
5 millilitres ground cinnamon (optional)
05 -
1.25 millilitres salt
06 -
15 millilitres vanilla extract
07 -
360 millilitres whole milk
08 -
5 large eggs
→ Assembly
09 -
1 loaf French bread, sliced into 2.5 centimetre thick pieces
# Instructions:
01 -
Crank your oven up to 175°C. While the oven gets hot, take your chilled casserole out of the fridge and set it on the counter for 15 minutes so it can warm up a bit. Pop it in without any cover and bake for 35–40 minutes until the middle still jiggles a little but the edges are crispy and the top turns golden.
02 -
Wrap your baking dish really well with plastic, then stash it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or even overnight. This way, the bread sucks up all the custard goodness.
03 -
Mix up your eggs, milk, vanilla, salt, and (if you like) cinnamon in a bowl until it looks frothy and everything’s blended. Pour it evenly on the bread you already set on the caramel base, making sure every last bit of bread is soaking. Press it down gently so it can soak up more of the creamy mix.
04 -
Take those slices of French bread and lay them over the caramel in the baking dish. Let them overlap a tiny bit so they fit nice and snug.
05 -
Melt together butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a tiny pot on medium heat. Keep stirring here and there. Once it's bubbling and the sugar melts (about 3–4 minutes), dump that yummy caramel into your baking dish and try to spread it out as evenly as you can.
06 -
Let things cool off just a bit. When you're ready to serve, flip over each piece so the sticky caramel side faces up. Eat while it's still warm and, if you like, finish with berries or some powdered sugar on top.
# Notes:
01 -
Go with challah or brioche for an extra rich bite and a little more sweetness.
02 -
Want more fragrance? Try adding a sprinkle of ginger, nutmeg, or allspice to the egg mix.
03 -
Tuck in some berries or sautéed apple slices between bread layers before chilling for pop and texture.
04 -
Sprinkle coarse sugar on top in the last ten minutes, or use a torch, if you want a super crunchy finish.
05 -
Switch the bread for a hearty gluten-free loaf if you want to keep things gluten-free.