Crème brûlée French toast

Sure, I've been making a ton of waffles but that doesn't mean I've given up on other breakfast mainstays like pancakes and French toast.  Variety is where it's at!

So with the upcoming weekend, let's talk about the wonderful meal called breakfast, or brunch, and let's revisit French toast!  Specifically, let's make crème brûlée French toast.  Doesn't that sound good?  I saw the recipe from Martha Stewart and thought it would be fun to give it a try.  And since we had a long weekend this week, I had the chance to whip this up during one of the mornings.

The idea is really quite simple.  If you think about it, the custard used for French toast is very similar to crème brûlée (i.e., eggs, milk, vanilla, and sugar).  What's missing would be the signature caramel crust we all love in a crème brûlée.  So here, with this crème brûlée French toast, what you do is sprinkle the top of the bread with granulated sugar, cook it until it develops a caramel crust, then flip it over and do the same on the reverse side.  You end up with this golden sweet crust on your French toast!

What a creative yet simple little twist on basic French toast!  Sometimes, a little spin on things is just what you need to keep it interesting, for both the cook as well as everyone eating.  I had fun making it and this was a hit at our house; my French toast-loving husband heartily approved.


I used basic white bread to make my French toast though classic choices like challah or brioche are welcome if you prefer.  It was really fun to see a layer of golden crust develop on the French toast.  It literally made for a layer of insulation to the point where the maple syrup sits on top of the bread instead of soaking immediately into it.

Funny thing - a few days after I made this, I saw Tricia Yearwood and her husband, Garth Brooks, make something similar on her cooking show.  They used cinnamon-sugar (and a thick-cut honey wheat bread).  If you are a fan of cinnamon toast, that might appeal to you as another spin on this!

This is certainly a sweet treat of a breakfast.  Personally, I was mindful about the sugar used to make the coating - using enough but not going overboard.  Because of the sweet crust on this crème brûlée French toast, you don't need a lot of maple syrup so start with restraint and go from there.  Some simple fresh fruit would be great on the side.

Recipe:

Crème brûlée French toast
Adapted from Martha Stewart

- Approximately 2 servings - 

2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or half vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out)
Pinch of coarse salt
1/4 cup (or so) granulated sugar
4 slices thick white bread (or another kind, like brioche or challah bread)
Butter or oil for cooking (I use a combination of butter and canola oil) 
For serving (optional): powdered sugar, maple syrup, fruit

In a shallow, rimmed plate or dish, whisk the eggs together with the milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt.  

Melt about 1 tablespoon butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.  

While pan is heating, add bread slices into egg mixture to soak.  Flip over and sprinkle the top of each slice evenly with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of granulated sugar, pressing lightly to adhere.  Lift the bread from the egg mixture, letting excess drip, and place into the pan, sugar side down.  Sprinkle the top of each slice with another 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar.  Let cook until bottom caramelizes, about 5 minutes. Flip and let the second side brown, about 4-5 minutes.  If the bottom is browning too quickly, lower the heat. 

Serve immediately (or keep warm in a 250 degree oven if necessary), with a light dusting of powdered sugar, and with maple syrup and fruit on the side.