Description
Rich, creamy Overnight Creme Brulee French Toast brings French bakery magic to your breakfast table. Luxurious layers of caramelized bread and silky custard promise a morning celebration you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 loaf French bread or brioche
- 5 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (360 milliliters) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream
Bread and Custard Base Spices:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Caramel Base:
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (220 grams) packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
Optional Toppings:
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh berries
- Maple syrup
Instructions
- Craft a decadent caramel foundation by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then incorporate brown sugar and corn syrup, stirring until the mixture transforms into a glossy, bubbling liquid for 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the molten caramel into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, creating an even layer across the bottom.
- Carefully arrange French bread or brioche slices atop the caramel, allowing gentle overlapping to maximize coverage.
- Whisk eggs, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl until the mixture achieves a silky, uniform consistency.
- Gently cascade the custard over the bread, ensuring complete and thorough saturation of each slice.
- Shield the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours, allowing flavors to meld and bread to absorb the rich custard.
- Remove the dish from refrigeration 20 minutes before baking, permitting it to approach room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and place the uncovered dish inside, baking for 40-45 minutes until the surface turns a golden, appetizing brown and the center sets firmly.
- After removing from the oven, let the French toast rest for 5 minutes to stabilize its structure.
- Finish by dusting with powdered sugar and accompanying with fresh berries and maple syrup for a luxurious breakfast experience.
Notes
- Swap bread types to customize texture, trying challah or day-old sourdough for varied richness and structure.
- Reduce sugar content by using half brown sugar and half maple syrup for a more balanced sweetness profile.
- Create gluten-free version by substituting regular bread with gluten-free alternative like almond flour bread or specialized GF brioche.
- Enhance flavor complexity by adding orange zest or dark rum to custard mixture for subtle depth and aromatic undertones.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 398 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg