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Sweet French Toast Bake

Mix eggs, cream and vanilla in bowl. Layer thick bread slices in pan, pour sweet mix over top. Let soak in fridge overnight. Morning time, sprinkle with sugar and bake till golden. Top with berries and cream for fancy breakfast with no morning work.

Featured in Morning Meal Ideas.

Fatiha
Updated on Sun, 05 Jan 2025 01:25:05 GMT
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A baked dessert with fluffy pieces topped with whipped cream, raspberries, and powdered sugar, served in a white dish. Pin it
A baked dessert with fluffy pieces topped with whipped cream, raspberries, and powdered sugar, served in a white dish. | zestplate.com

Make your holidays special with this easy Overnight Creme Brûlée French Toast Bake. It tastes like fancy creme brûlée mixed with cozy French toast. Make it the night before, then just pop it in the oven in the morning. Your family will love waking up to this sweet, golden breakfast treat.

Why Make This French Toast

You'll love this breakfast because you do all the work the night before. That means you get to enjoy Christmas morning or any special day without cooking. The bread stays crispy, not soggy, and gets a sweet, crunchy top. Add whipped cream and berries, and it looks as good as it tastes.

What You Need

  • Butter: Makes the sweet bottom layer
  • Brown Sugar: Gets crispy when baked
  • Maple Syrup: Real syrup tastes best
  • French Bread: Cut in chunks
  • Eggs: For the custard mix
  • Half-and-Half: Makes it rich
  • Vanilla: Just a splash
  • Salt: Tiny pinch
  • Whipped Cream: For the top
  • Fresh Berries: Any kind you like

How to Make It

Make Sweet Mix:
Melt butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup together. Stir until smooth.
Get Pan Ready:
Spray a 9x13 pan so nothing sticks. Pour in the sweet mix.
Add Bread:
Cut bread in chunks. Put them in the pan on top of the sweet mix.
Mix Wet Stuff:
Whisk eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until smooth.
Pour Over Bread:
Pour egg mix over the bread. Make sure all pieces get wet.
Let it Rest:
Cover pan. Put in fridge overnight or at least 8 hours.
Next Morning:
Take pan out. Put in cold oven.
Bake:
Turn oven to 350°F. Bake 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Top and Serve:
Add whipped cream and berries while warm.

Perfect for Holidays

This is great for Christmas morning or any special day. You do the work at night when the house is quiet. Next morning, just turn on the oven and wait for the good smells. Everyone will come running when they smell the sweet caramel and vanilla.

Better Than Regular French Toast

Cutting the bread in chunks instead of slices makes this special. The pieces stay crispy on top but soft inside. No soggy bread here. Each bite has sweet crunchy parts and soft custardy parts. Even people who don't like regular French toast love this.

The Sweet Crispy Top

The bottom turns into a sweet, crunchy layer while it bakes. It's like the top of creme brûlée but easier. You don't need extra syrup - it makes its own sweet sauce. Fresh berries cut through the sweetness just right.

A baked dessert topped with raspberries and a dollop of cream, served in a white dish with syrup drizzled on top. Pin it
A baked dessert topped with raspberries and a dollop of cream, served in a white dish with syrup drizzled on top. | zestplate.com

Easy Morning Cooking

This recipe saves your morning. Put it together at night when you have time. Next day, just turn on the oven. You can open presents, drink coffee, or just relax while it bakes. No standing at the stove flipping bread.

Kids Love It Too

Kids go crazy for this. They love the sweet crunchy parts and the soft middle. It's fancy enough for grown-ups but fun enough for kids. Make extra if you're feeding a crowd - people always want seconds.

Quick Tips

Use day-old bread - it soaks up more egg mix. Don't cut bread too small or it gets mushy. Make sure all pieces get covered in egg mix. Let it come up to room temp while the oven heats up. Serve it hot - that's when the top is most crispy.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What bread works best?

Soft egg bread's real nice. Sweet bread works too. Day-old's better - soaks more. Thick cut holds up good. Plain white works fine too.

→ How long in fridge?

Ten hours tops is good. Overnight works perfect. Not less than six hours. Don't go past next day. Bread gets too soft then.

→ Want extra stuff in it?

Nuts add nice crunch. Cinnamon makes it cozy. Raisins plump up nice. Some like apple bits. Even chocolate works.

→ How to serve it pretty?

Top with fresh cream. Put berries all round. Dust sugar on top. Drizzle maple syrup. Maybe add mint leaf.

→ Need it without milk?

Use plant milk instead. Get fake butter. Coconut cream works nice. Check your bread too. Still comes out rich.

→ Getting too wet?

Use less egg mix. Drain some off top. Pick drier bread. Stack it looser. Could bake longer.

→ Want more flavor pop?

Add real vanilla. Splash bourbon in. Grate orange peel. Use brown sugar. Mix up the spices.

→ Taking it somewhere?

Bake there if you can. Keep it covered warm. Pack toppings separate. Bring extra syrup. Take serving stuff.

→ Need to feed lots?

Double fits same pan. Just stack it higher. Make extra egg mix. Might need more time. Watch middle gets done.

→ Top getting too dark?

Cover with foil. Lower the heat. Move pan down. Check it early. Could start covered.

→ Want crispy bits?

Leave bread out first. Don't pour all mix. Sprinkle sugar top. Broil quick at end. Space pieces some.

→ Making ahead far?

Mix dry stuff early. Measure wet night before. Cut bread, bag it. Keep cream cold. Quick assembly later.

Conclusion

Like this? Try sweet bread pudding next. Or make maple pancake bake. Both give you that warm morning treat.

Overnight Creme Brûlée French Toast Bake

Easy morning sweet bread.

Prep Time
610 Minutes
Cook Time
40 Minutes
Total Time
650 Minutes
By: Fatiha

Category: Breakfast

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: French

Yield: 8 Servings

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter.
02 ¾ cup (159 g) packed light or dark brown sugar.
03 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, or substitute corn syrup or pancake syrup.
04 6 to 8 1-inch thick slices French bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes.
05 4 large eggs.
06 1 cup half-and-half.
07 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
08 ¼ teaspoon salt.
09 Sweetened whipped cream, for serving.
10 Fresh strawberries or raspberries, for serving.

Instructions

Step 01

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Alternatively, you may melt these ingredients together in a pan on the stove.

Step 02

Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray.

Step 03

Spread the brown sugar mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Arrange the bread cubes in a single, even layer on top.

Step 04

In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, vanilla extract, and salt until well blended.

Step 05

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes, ensuring all pieces are well covered.

Step 06

Cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for 8 to 10 hours.

Step 07

The next morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator and uncover it. Place it in a cold oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 08

Once preheated, bake for 30-35 minutes until the bread is golden and the caramel mixture is bubbling. For a reverse caramel topping, half-bake for 20 minutes, flip the bread pieces, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Step 09

Serve immediately with sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries for a delightful finish.

Notes

  1. For a firmer texture, use the ingredients as listed in the recipe. If you prefer a softer, milkier texture, increase the half-and-half to 1½ cups and use 5 eggs instead of 4.
  2. If using an artisan bread with thick crusts, consider removing the crusts. This step is not necessary for softer bread varieties with thinner crusts.
  3. Ensure the bread cubes fill a 9X13-inch pan in a single, tight layer over the caramel mixture. Some overlap in the layers is acceptable.

Tools You'll Need

  • Microwave-safe bowl.
  • 9X13-inch baking pan.
  • Cooking spray.
  • Whisk.
  • Oven.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Dairy.
  • Eggs.
  • Gluten.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: ~
  • Total Fat: ~
  • Total Carbohydrate: ~
  • Protein: ~