Crème Brûlée French Toast Casserole

With a rich vegan custard and caramel, this Creme Brûlée French Toast has the flavour of the classic dessert in crowd-pleasing breakfast form!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American, French

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Chilling Time 30

Total Time 1 30

Servings -10 servings

Calories 578

1 large loaf French bread or brioche-style bread cut into 6 slices, each 1 inch thick – about 450g

1 ½ cups canned coconut cream 360mL
1 cup unsweetened almond milk or other plant milk – 240mL
¼ cup cornstarch 32g
¼ cup maple syrup 60mL
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10mL
1 teaspoon brandy-based orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier or orange juice – 5mL
¼ teaspoon sea salt 1.5g
⅛ teaspoon turmeric optional, for colour – 0.5g

In a small saucepan, melt all of the vegan butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and maple syrup (or corn syrup) until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth, about 2–3 minutes.
Pour half of the caramel mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, tilting to coat evenly.
Reserve the remaining half in a jar or bowl, cover, and refrigerate for serving later.

Slice off the crusts of the bread if desired, then arrange the bread slices in a snug single layer on top of the caramel in the baking dish.
In a blender or mixing bowl, whisk together coconut cream, almond milk, cornstarch, maple syrup, vanilla, orange liqueur, salt, and turmeric (if using) until completely smooth and slightly thickened.
Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread, pressing gently with a spatula so the bread absorbs the liquid. Cover the dish with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is lightly golden.
While the casserole bakes, gently reheat the reserved caramel sauce in a saucepan or microwave until pourable.
Slice and serve the casserole warm, drizzling each portion with the warmed caramel sauce.

Refrigerator: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Creme brûlée French toast can be wrapped in the baking dish for freezing or you can transfer smaller portions of leftovers to an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat: Warm leftovers in a 350ºF oven or in the microwave until heated through.