Description
Imagine taking the caramelized sugar goodness of a crème brûlée and somehow merging it with custardy French toast… that’s what happens with this magical breakfast casserole. You prep it the night before, so morning-you gets all the credit with none of the work. The bottom layer caramelizes into this ridiculously good buttery, caramel sauce that soaks into the bread, while the top gets all golden and crispy. It’s basically dessert masquerading as breakfast, and nobody’s complaining.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Caramel Base:
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (dark gives more flavor, but light works too)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (the real stuff, not that fake breakfast syrup)
- Pinch of salt (trust me on this one)
For the French Toast:
- 1 loaf of bread (challah or brioche are amazing here, but French bread works too)
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups half-and-half (or 1 cup milk + 1 cup heavy cream if that’s what you’ve got)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the good stuff)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur like Grand Marnier (optional, but SO good)
- Zest of one orange (optional, but adds amazing flavor)
- Pinch of salt
For Serving:
- Fresh berries
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Extra maple syrup (though you might not even need it)
- Maybe a dollop of whipped cream if you’re feeling extra