Rich Crème Brûlée French Toast: Easy Make-Ahead Brunch (Print Version)

Rich Crème Brûlée French Toast makes brunch dreamy. Prep ahead for sweet, custardy slices with a caramelized sugar crust. Pure breakfast joy!

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 20 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cuisine: French-American
Dietary: Vegetarian

# Ingredients:

→ For the French Toast Base

01 - 1 loaf (13-16 oz) challah or brioche bread, sliced 1-inch thick
02 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for greasing

→ The Custard Magic

03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 1 ½ cups heavy cream
05 - ½ cup whole milk
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ For the Caramelized Top & Garnish

09 - ¼ cup granulated sugar (for brûlée topping)
10 - 1 cup fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), for serving

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, let's get that bread ready for our Crème Brûlée French Toast! Slice your challah or brioche into thick, 1-inch pieces. I usually get about 10-12 slices from a standard loaf. Arrange them snugly in a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. You want them close but not squished, you know? Like they’re cuddling up for a long nap. This step always makes me hungry, seeing all that beautiful bread just waiting to be transformed.
02 - Now for the creamy goodness! In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until everything is well combined and the sugar has dissolved. Don't be shy with the whisking; we want a smooth, uniform custard for our Crème Brûlée French Toast. I always give it a little sniff – that vanilla and cinnamon aroma is just heavenly, a promise of what's to come. This is where I almost always get a little messy, a small splash of custard here or there, but it's all part of the fun!
03 - Pour that lovely custard mixture evenly over the bread slices in the baking dish. Make sure every piece of bread is soaking it all in! Gently press down the bread to ensure it absorbs the liquid. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge. Let it chill and soak for at least 8 hours, or even better, overnight. This is the secret to truly custardy Crème Brûlée French Toast – patience is a virtue here, my friend. I didn't expect how much this step transforms the texture, honestly.
04 - The next morning, pull your dish out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking to let it come closer to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the plastic wrap and bake the Crème Brûlée French Toast for 35-45 minutes, or until it's puffed up, golden brown, and the center is set. I love how my kitchen starts to smell like a fancy bakery during this step; it's just the best aroma!
05 - This is the fun part! Once the French toast is out of the oven, sprinkle about 1-2 teaspoons of granulated sugar evenly over each slice. Now, grab your kitchen torch! Carefully torch the sugar until it melts, bubbles, and turns into a beautiful, amber-colored crust. Keep the flame moving to avoid burning. This step for Crème Brûlée French Toast is so satisfying, hearing that gentle crackle as the sugar hardens. If you don't have a torch, you can pop it under a broiler for a minute or two, but watch it like a hawk – sugar burns fast!
06 - Let the Crème Brûlée French Toast cool for just a few minutes so that sugar crust can fully harden and become delightfully brittle. Then, serve it warm with a dusting of powdered sugar, if you like, and a generous scattering of fresh berries. That first bite, with the crunch of the sugar followed by the soft, custardy interior, is just pure bliss. It’s what makes all the waiting totally worth it!

# Notes:

01 - Don't press the bread down too much when soaking; you want it to absorb the custard, not get squished.
02 - This Crème Brûlée French Toast holds up surprisingly well in the fridge for a few days, though the brûlée top will soften.
03 - Ran out of heavy cream once, used half-and-half, and it worked... kinda; it was lighter, but still tasty.
04 - A little sprinkle of sea salt on top of the brûlée right after torching can enhance the sweetness and add a sophisticated touch.

# Tools You'll Need:

01 - 9x13 inch baking dish
02 - large mixing bowl
03 - whisk
04 - plastic wrap
05 - kitchen torch (optional)
06 - measuring cups and spoons

# Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):

Calories: 450
Total Fat: 25g
Total Carbohydrate: 45g
Protein: 12g

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