French Toast à la Crème Brûlée Recipe
This French Toast à la Crème Brûlée combines the rich custard-soaked bread of classic French toast with the crispy caramelized sugar crust of crème brûlée. Made with brioche or challah bread, soaked in a creamy mixture of eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, it’s baked until golden and finished with a brûléed sugar topping for an elegant breakfast or brunch treat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes (plus soaking time)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 1 loaf of brioche or challah bread (12–14 slices)
Custard Mixture
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk (or almond/oat milk for dairy-free)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or nutmeg)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Bread: Cut the brioche or challah into thick slices and arrange them in a greased baking dish to ensure the bread does not stick during baking.
- Make the Custard: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
- Soak the Bread: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread slices, pressing down gently to help the bread absorb the custard. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, allowing the flavors to meld and the bread to become thoroughly soaked.
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the custard-soaked bread.
- Bake the French Toast: Remove the soaked bread from the refrigerator and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set. For an extra crispy top, optionally broil the French toast for an additional 2-3 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Brûlée the Top: Sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar over the baked French toast. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until it forms a crispy, golden crust reminiscent of crème brûlée. Alternatively, you can place the dish under a broiler for 1-2 minutes, keeping a close eye to prevent burning.
- Serve: Allow the French toast to cool slightly before serving. Enhance the dish with fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, and a drizzle of maple syrup if desired for added sweetness and presentation.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, substitute whole milk and heavy cream with almond or oat milk and coconut cream.
- If you don’t have a kitchen torch, using the oven broiler carefully works just as well to caramelize the sugar.
- Soaking the bread overnight yields a more custardy, flavorful dish.
- Brioche or challah breads have a buttery richness that complements the custard well, but use any thick, soft bread as a substitute.
- Watch closely during broiling to avoid burning the sugar topping.
Keywords: French toast, crème brûlée, baked French toast, custard soaked bread, brunch recipe, caramelized sugar, brioche French toast
