If you want to impress your weekend guests and take it easy in the morning, make this incredible overnight French toast casserole the night before!
It is crispy on top, tender in the middle, and loaded with the caramelly flavor of classic Creme Brule. Serve it with fresh fruit and whipped cream for an extraordinary brunch dish!
Creme Brule is one of my favorite desserts. It consists of a rich custard made with eggs, cream, and sugar. It’s usually baked in an individual serving dish or ramekin. Once it’s baked, sugar is sprinkled on top and torched, forming a crispy, caramelized crust—my favorite part!
One of the most fun parts about eating Creme Brule is cracking the top of the crust with your spoon and then plunging it in to eat the yummy custard. The dessert version of Creme Brule is a little fiddly and takes some time to temper the eggs for the custard, bake them properly, and torch them correctly.
Great news!! THIS OVERNIGHT FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE IS EASY TO MAKE AND TASTES AMAZING! Oh, sorry, was I shouting? Yes, I was; this Creme Brule overnight French toast is one of the easiest and most delicious brunch dishes I have ever eaten!
My husband and I are “retired,” but in our case, that only means we’re not going to a job every day and punching a clock for someone else. Instead, we work hard from home, finally doing the things we love to do! He does antiques and builds things. I cook, I write, and we eat.
Papa built this amazing tray from scraps of shutters and a few rogue pieces of wood to complete the puzzle, and I wanted to use it in a photo from the first time I laid eyes on it! The colors are not what I use, but they are wonderful!
A week or two later, he found this unusual vintage 13″ x 9″ blue Pyrex baking dish at a garage sale. When he brought it home, he told me I could keep it if I wanted, so I did, hoping I’d have a chance to use it in the post. So now you know the rest of the story and why I used this unusual blue dish to make Creme Brule overnight French toast!
I love Pyrex for baking because the food bakes beautifully, shows off handsomely, and clean-up is a breeze! You can buy new Pyrex baking dishes today, and I suggest trying them!
The recipe begins with a smooth caramel layer you make in a saucepan with butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. When it’s ready (it takes about three or four minutes,) pour it into the greased baking dish.
Remove the crusts from day-old bread and cut the bread into cubes about an inch in size. I used three-day-old Texas toast. You can use French bread or any other firm bread, but it must not be fresh. It needs to dry out a bit to soak up the custard. I cut mine into cubes and let it sit on the counter while I prepared the other parts of the recipe.
The original recipe called for a nine-inch loaf of bread without an actual measurement in cups, so I put the bread cubes in the baking dish as I figured out how much to use. I used about 15 pieces of Texas toast, but brioche, Italian bread, or any other type of white bread will work.
Of course, I had to dump the bread cubes out because the caramel layer goes on the bottom!
Next, you’ll whisk up the custard layer with half-and-half, eggs and vanilla. When it’s all well combined and frothy, pour it over the whole casserole.
Cover the baking dish with foil and refrigerate the bread cubes for at least eight hours to soak up all the goodness from the caramel and the custard. My overnight French toast sat in the fridge for two days before I baked it.
Once the casserole has been refrigerated overnight, bake it on the center rack of a 350-degree oven for thirty to thirty-five minutes or until the top is golden brown. If it begins to brown too quickly, put the foil back on top until it is done.
If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you know I am a sucker for garnishes and what they do to enhance the visual appeal of a dish. I sprinkled the top of my Creme Brule French toast with a bit of coarse sanding sugar and sliced almonds for crunch. It’s unnecessary, but it’s a Betty thing; I can’t help it, and I think it looks great!
Some fresh fruit and perfect bacon would round out this lovely brunch dish and make it a showstopping menu for overnight guests!
Here is an easy and delicious brunch dish you can make ahead and bake in the morning. It has a tender center and a crunchy top infused with caramel flavor.
*The original recipe called for a nine-inch loaf of bread without an actual measurement in cups, so I put the bread cubes in the baking dish as I figured out how much to use. I used about 15 pieces of Texas toast, but brioche, Italian bread, or any other type of firm white bread will work.
If you enjoyed this recipe today, you are my people!! Please share it on your social media accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. I'd be tickled and ever so grateful; thank you!
If you haven't already, check out my Facebook page, where I'll be posting easy, delicious, and family-friendly recipes every week.
Sign up for my newsletter and receive a free gift! A printable sign that would look great in your kitchen, framed above your sink, or just placed anywhere to remind us how lucky we are to have dirty dishes!
Sign up now!