Baked Custard French Toast with Caramelized Sugar
Rich custard-style French toast infused with orange and cinnamon, baked until set then pan-seared for caramelized sugar crust. Whole bread soaks in spiced custard base before individual slices are finished in butter until deep golden. Served with maple syrup and butter oil.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 whole orange peel, peeled, white pith remaining on orange
- 3 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 9 slice Texas toast bread, crusts removedbrioche or challah9:9bread
creamier crumb, soaks custard more readily
- 5 large egg
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar, firmly packed
- ¼ cup butter, divided
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar, divided
- pure maple syrup(optional)
- butter with canola oil(optional)coconut oilnull:nullfatdairy-free
vegan substitution
Instructions
- 1
Line 13x9-inch glass baking dish with parchment paper.
- 2
Combine milk, whipping cream, orange peel and cinnamon sticks in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until milk just begins to bubble around edges but does not boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool for 20 minutes.
- 3
Heat oven to 375°F.
- 4
Lay bread slices flat in baking dish, squishing together and cutting as needed to fit all pieces.
- 5
Whisk eggs and brown sugar together in bowl until well mixed.
- 6
Remove orange peel and cinnamon sticks from milk mixture. Slowly pour cooled milk mixture into egg mixture, whisking continuously. Strain milk and egg mixture through sieve back into saucepan.
- 7
Pour two-thirds of strained mixture over bread so bread is completely covered. Reserve remaining milk and egg mixture.
- 8
Bake until custard sets, is cooked through and lightly golden brown. Cool and cut into 8 pieces.
- 9
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling. Dip bread squares in remaining egg mixture and place onto plate. Sprinkle each slice with powdered sugar. Place bread, sugar-side down into skillet and sprinkle top with powdered sugar.
- 10
Cook to caramelize sugar and cook custard. Turn French toast and cook until deep golden brown and caramelized. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining bread squares.
- 11
Serve with maple syrup and butter with canola oil.
Tips
Strain the milk-egg mixture through a fine sieve to remove any cooked egg particles and achieve silky custard texture.
Cool the infused milk mixture fully before combining with eggs to prevent scrambling.
Reserve extra egg mixture for dipping the individual bread squares; this ensures caramelized exterior.
Good to Know
Covered in refrigerator up to 2 days before final pan-searing step. Reheat gently in low oven.
Prepare through cooling and cutting stage up to 1 day ahead. Pan-sear to order for best caramelized crust.
Immediately after searing while sugar is still caramelized. Serve hot with maple syrup and butter with canola oil on the side.
Common Mistakes
Do not let milk mixture boil to avoid curdling and breaking custard texture.
Do not skip the cooling step to avoid scrambling eggs when pouring hot milk into egg mixture.
Do not use high heat when pan-searing to avoid burning sugar before custard cooks through.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
creamier crumb, soaks custard more readily