Caramelized Overnight Crème Brûlée French Toast 🍞🍮 — Crispy Top, Silky Inside

Indulgent breakfast or brunch magic: thick slices of brioche or challah soak overnight in a rich vanilla-custard, bake until just set, then get a crunchy caramelized sugar crown — basically crème brûlée for breakfast. Serve with berries, whipped cream, or a drizzle of maple syrup for total delight. ✨

Why this works

Thick, porous bread (brioche or challah) soaks up a rich custard (eggs + cream + milk + sugar + vanilla). Overnight resting lets the custard fully penetrate the bread so the interior bakes custardy, while the exterior browns. A final sprinkling of coarse sugar and a quick torch (or broiler) creates a crisp caramel shell like classic crème brûlée — contrast is everything.

Ingredients (serves 8 — adjust as needed)

Bread & soak

• 1 loaf brioche or challah (about 12–14 oz / 350–400 g), cut into 1–1½-inch thick slices (you’ll need ~10–12 slices)
• Butter for greasing pan (or nonstick spray)

Custard

• 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
• 1 cup whole milk (240 ml)
• 6 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (10 ml) — or 1 vanilla bean scraped
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar (optional — adds caramel depth)
• 1–2 tablespoons bourbon or dark rum (optional, adult note)

For the brûlée top & finishing

• 1/3–1/2 cup turbinado sugar or granulated sugar (for caramelizing)
• Fresh berries, whipped cream, or maple syrup to serve

Equipment

• 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish or similar shallow casserole
• Whisk and large bowl (or stand mixer)
• Fine mesh sieve (optional, for extra-smooth custard)
• Kitchen torch (preferred) — or very hot broiler / oven set to high heat
• Plastic wrap or foil for overnight

Step-by-step — Overnight method

Night before — assemble

1. Grease the baking dish with butter or spray. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer, slightly overlapping (you can layer if your dish is deep — the goal is full coverage).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar (if using), salt, vanilla, heavy cream, milk, and bourbon (if using) until smooth.
3. Pour the custard evenly over the bread, pressing gently so slices absorb the liquid. Every slice should be moistened. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (8–18 hours).

Morning — bake & caramelize

1. Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F. Remove plastic wrap and let the casserole sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes while the oven heats.
2. If the custard pooled, gently press bread into the liquid to redistribute. For a slightly crisper finish, dot the top with a few small knobs of butter.
3. Bake uncovered for 30–40 minutes (time depends on depth and bread). The center should be just set — a gentle jiggle is fine; an instant-read thermometer should read ~71–74°C / 160–165°F in the center.
4. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. If you like a lightly browned surface, you can broil 1–2 minutes now, watching closely.
5. Sprinkle an even layer of turbinado or granulated sugar across the top — about 1 tbsp per 2–3 slices worth of surface area (adjust for your dish). Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it forms a deep golden, crackly crust. Work in small sections and keep the flame moving. If you don’t have a torch, place under a very hot broiler (preheated to high) 2–4 minutes, watching like a hawk — sugar can burn quickly. An alternative is to place individual slices on a hot skillet with sugar, but results vary.
6. Allow the caramel top to cool 2–3 minutes to harden, then serve immediately with whipped cream, berries, and/or maple syrup.

Serving & presentation ideas

• Serve warm with lightly whipped cream and fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries).
• Drizzle high-quality maple syrup or a warm caramel sauce for extra indulgence.
• For a hotel/brunch finish, dust the edges with powdered sugar and top with a mint sprig.
• Make individual portions: assemble in shallow ramekins, refrigerate overnight, bake 20–25 minutes, then brûlée each ramekin.

Chef tips & expert touches

Chef Bobby Flay: “Use a good quality brioche — the butter-rich crumb soaks custard beautifully.”

Chef Ina Garten: “Vanilla bean makes a subtle, luxurious difference — scrape the seeds into the custard.”

Chef Gordon Ramsay: “Bake until barely set; residual heat finishes the custard — you want silky, not rubbery.”

Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman): “A tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt over the brûléed sugar is heavenly — it wakes the whole dish up.”

Variations & substitutions

• Dairy-free: Use full-fat coconut milk (one can) plus a cup of almond milk to replace cream + milk. Texture will be slightly different but delicious.
• Lower-fat: Use whole milk plus 1/2 cup evaporated milk instead of some cream; expect a slightly less luxurious texture.
• Savory twist: Omit brown sugar, add a touch of grated orange zest to the custard and serve with mascarpone instead of whipped cream.
• Spiced: Add 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg to the custard for a warm autumnal note.
• Fruit-studded: Layer thin apples or pears between slices before soaking for a baked fruit-french toast.

Make-ahead, storage & reheating

• Assembled (uncooked): Refrigerate up to 18 hours before baking (best within 12 hours).
• Baked, un-brûléed: Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a 160°C / 325°F oven 10–15 minutes until warm, then sprinkle sugar and torch just before serving.
• Brûléed leftovers: The caramel top softens in the fridge. Reheat gently and re-torch or broil to re-crisp sugar before serving.

Food safety & notes

• Egg safety: Eggs are fully cooked during baking; bake to reach ~71°C / 160°F in the center for safety. Use pasteurized eggs if serving folks who are extremely immunocompromised and you prefer extra caution.
• Allergens: Contains eggs and dairy; bread may contain gluten. Label for guests.

Approximate nutrition (per serving — 1/8 of casserole)

These are estimates — exact values depend on bread type, cream content, and portion size.

Troubleshooting

Custard too runny after baking

Underbaked — return to oven and bake 5–10 more minutes. Check thermometer for ~71–74°C / 160–165°F in center.

Bread soggy, not custardy

Either bread was too thin or you baked too briefly (or used very dense bread). Use thicker slices of airy brioche/challah and bake until just set. Overnight soak should be 8–12 hours; much longer can over-saturate some breads.

Sugar won’t caramelize evenly under the broiler

Broilers heat unevenly; use a torch if possible. If broiling, place the pan on the top oven rack close to the element and watch constantly — rotate the pan for even color.

Frequently Asked Questions (10 quick answers)

1. Can I assemble and bake the same day? Yes — soak for at least 2–3 hours, but overnight gives the best texture.
2. Is brioche necessary? No, but brioche or challah are ideal for richness and custard absorption. Day-old bread works best.
3. Can I brûlée without a torch? Yes — use a hot broiler for 1–4 minutes, watching carefully. Results vary slightly.
4. How long does assembled casserole keep uncooked? Up to 18 hours in the fridge; best within 12 hours.
5. Can I make individual portions? Yes — use shallow ramekins and reduce bake time (~20–25 min).
6. Can I freeze this? Baked (un-brûléed) slices freeze well up to 2 months. Reheat and re-torch when ready.
7. What sugar is best for brûlée? Turbinado or granulated sugar both work; turbinado gives more visual texture.
8. My top melted but didn’t harden — why? The sugar needs to reach a high enough temperature to re-crystallize; torch until deep amber (but not burnt) and let cool 2–3 minutes.
9. Can I cut calories? Use 2% milk + 1/2 cup cream instead of all cream, and choose a lighter bread, but expect less silky richness.
10. Any booze tips? A tablespoon of bourbon or orange liqueur in the custard is fantastic — aromatic and grown-up.

Related recipes & resources

• Classic Crème Brûlée — learn the technique behind the perfect caramel shell.
• Homemade Brioche — bake your own loaf for even better results.
• Maple Butter — a lovely spread to serve alongside.

Final Notes — make it your brunch signature

This Caramelized Overnight Crème Brûlée French Toast is luxurious, deceptively simple, and a total showstopper. Prep the night before, torch at the last minute, and watch guests grin when they crack that caramel top. If you want, I can scale this for a crowd, convert to individual ramekins with times, or create a printable recipe card — tell me which and I’ll format it. 🥂🍞🍮