French Toast Bake With a Crackly Brown Sugar Top

Ingredients

• 1 large loaf day-old brioche, torn into chunks (650 g)
• 2 cups whole milk (480 g)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 g)
• 7 large eggs (350 g)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, divided (150 g)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (4 g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 g)
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt (4 g)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided (70 g)
• 2 tablespoons coarse sugar (25 g)

Instructions

1. Prepare. Brush the baking dish with 14 g melted butter and fill it loosely with torn brioche. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, 75 g brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until uniform. Pour over the bread in two passes, turning only the driest top pieces between pours. Keep the peaks airy rather than packing them down.
2. Assemble. Let the filled dish sit for 10 minutes while the oven reaches 375°F (190°C). Mix the remaining brown sugar with 42 g melted butter until damp crumbs form. Pinch the mixture into small uneven clusters over the bread, then scatter coarse sugar across the exposed peaks. Even coverage matters more than a thick continuous layer.
3. Bake. Bake uncovered for 42 to 50 minutes. Watch the center rather than the darker edge: it should puff, stop rippling, and feel resilient under a light utensil tap. The brown sugar cap should look glassy in places with fine cracks between crisp brioche points. Shield loosely with foil only if the tallest peaks darken too quickly.
4. Finish. Allow the bake to settle briefly, then cut 8 portions with a serrated knife so the sugar shell breaks cleanly instead of dragging. Lift from underneath with a flexible spatula. Serve while the top is crisp, since covering the warm dish traps moisture and erases the texture that distinguishes this version.

Notes

• Tear rather than cube the brioche to create crisp peaks. Apply the damp brown sugar in small clusters, then finish with coarse sugar. Doneness depends on a quiet, resilient center and a glassy cracked surface.
• Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat one portion for 60 seconds, then check before adding short bursts.

Nutrition Facts