No matter the reason, this crème brûlée French toast is perfect for a celebratory brunch. This stuffed French toast is a special, indulgent recipe that will make someone feel truly pampered.
Hello, darlings! Feeling brunch-y? I’m always ready for breakfast, and today I’m sharing a wonderfully decadent twist on French toast: crème brûlée French toast. It’s a stuffed French toast that borrows the silky vanilla custard of crème brûlée and finishes with a crisp caramelized sugar crust.
Spring always makes me crave French toast. The last French toast I shared was a lemon cheesecake French toast casserole, and it was just as celebratory. This recipe continues that brunch tradition—rich, comforting, and perfect for a special weekend morning.
How do I stuff French toast?
There are two straightforward ways to make stuffed French toast: pockets or sandwiches.
1) Pocket method: Use an unsliced loaf and cut thick slices, then carve a pocket in each slice to fill with fruit or other fillings that can be tucked inside. Thick, intact slices hold up best.
2) Sandwich method (used here): Use pre-sliced brioche or your preferred bread and spread a filling between two slices to make a sandwich. This method works especially well with a creamy pastry filling that helps hold the sandwich together during cooking.
Do I have to make pastry cream?
Pastry cream (crème pâtissière) is ideal for capturing the crème brûlée flavor. It’s an egg-thickened custard used for filling pastries and has a smoother, richer texture than cornstarch-thickened pudding.
If time is tight, you can substitute prepared vanilla custard or a good-quality pudding from the refrigerated section. Some stores also sell instant pastry cream mixes. If you plan ahead, pastry cream keeps well in the refrigerator for up to three days, which makes morning prep much easier.
A few recipe notes
For best results, use slightly stale bread so it absorbs the custard without falling apart. To stale bread quickly, leave sliced bread uncovered on a baking sheet overnight. If you forget, dry slices in a 250°F (120°C) oven for about 10 minutes—don’t let them toast fully, just remove enough moisture to absorb the custard.
Choose bread with a tight crumb like brioche or challah. Brioche is butter-based and challah is egg-enriched; both have a gentle sweetness and stand up well to custard-soaked preparations such as bread pudding and French toast.
This recipe is written for four servings, with each person receiving two triangles. It’s rich, so keep accompaniments simple—fresh fruit or a couple of hard-boiled eggs balance the indulgence nicely. Leftovers will lose the crunchy sugar crust, so serve immediately for best texture.
I highly recommend a small kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar. A torch gives direct, intense heat that quickly melts and browns the granulated sugar without overheating the toast. Broilers don’t give the same control or speed for creating that signature crust on a warm item.
With the right bread, a silky pastry cream, and a quick torch to caramelize the sugar, you’ll have a brunch-worthy dish that tastes like dessert for breakfast. Enjoy!
Creme Brulee French Toast
4 servings
10 minutes
15 minutes
25 minutes
With a silky pastry cream center and a crunchy brûléed sugar crust, this recipe transforms French toast into a dessert-inspired brunch favorite.
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick-cut brioche bread, slightly stale
- 1 cup pastry cream
- 1/2 cup milk (see notes)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
Topping:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Arrange the sliced bread on a lined baking sheet. Spread pastry cream on four slices, using about 3–4 tablespoons per slice. Top with the remaining slices to form sandwiches and set aside.
- In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- One at a time, briefly dip each sandwich into the egg wash for a few seconds per side—do not soak. Place the sandwiches in the skillet.
- Cook 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and warmed through, flipping carefully with a wide spatula or tongs.
- Transfer the cooked French toast to a baking sheet lined with a flame-resistant surface.
- Slice each square diagonally into triangles.
- Sprinkle each triangle with granulated sugar and use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar, forming the crunchy crème brûlée crust.
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- To stale bread, leave it out overnight on a baking sheet or dry in a 250°F oven for about 10 minutes.
- Make pastry cream ahead of time to save morning prep; it stores well for up to three days in the refrigerator.
- Nondairy milk and non-dairy butter can be used to make this recipe dairy-free; use a compatible non-dairy pastry cream if needed.
Recommended Products
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Professional Culinary Torch (Butane) Kitchen Cooking Tool for Searing Food, Crème Brûlée -
AICOOK Stovetop Espresso Machine, 6-Cup Moka Pot
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