Crème Brûlée French Toast Casserole Recipe
Crème Brûlée French Toast Casserole is a decadent breakfast dish that combines the creamy richness of classic crème brûlée with the comforting heartiness of French toast baked in a casserole. This easy-to-make recipe features bread soaked in a sweet egg and milk mixture, baked to golden perfection and topped with a caramelized brown sugar crust, making it a perfect indulgent treat for brunch or special mornings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-American
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 cups of day-old bread, cut into cubes
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Prepare the Egg Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and half of the brown sugar until fully combined and smooth.
- Soak the Bread: Add the bread cubes to the egg mixture, pressing down gently to ensure all pieces are well-soaked. Let the bread absorb the mixture for about 10 minutes so it becomes tender and infused with custard.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish with butter. Pour the soaked bread and custard mixture evenly into the dish, spreading it out to form a uniform layer.
- Bake the Casserole: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the casserole for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Caramelize the Topping: Remove the casserole from the oven. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar evenly on top. Using a kitchen torch, carefully caramelize the brown sugar until it melts and forms a crisp, brûlée crust. If you do not have a torch, place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes watching closely to avoid burning.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the casserole to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. This lets the caramelized topping harden and the flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
- Use day-old or slightly stale bread for best soaking results; brioche or challah works wonderfully.
- If you don’t have a kitchen torch for caramelizing, the broiler method works well, but watch carefully to prevent burning.
- For an extra touch, add vanilla extract or cinnamon to the egg mixture.
- This casserole can be prepared the night before and refrigerated, then baked in the morning.
- Adjust brown sugar quantity to your desired sweetness level.
Keywords: Crème Brûlée, French Toast, Casserole, Breakfast, Brunch, Baked French Toast
