Creme Brulee French Toast with Creamy Maple Syrup (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

I've been to Cheesecake Factory for lunch and dinner, but this summer was my first time eating breakfast at the popular restaurant. Our server recommended his favorite dish- Creme Brulee French Toast. It was bite-after-bite of melt in your mouth deliciousness. I knew it had to be filled with butter and cream to taste this good. After a lengthy discussion with our server about the dish he shared this:

1. They soak the bread overnight in the egg mixture. (which I found is not necessary)
2. A lot of cream is involved.
3. The bread is a brioche loaf. Perfect bread for making decadent french toast.  At our local Harmons, the brioche is made with flour, eggs and butter. Top three ingredients, in that order.

Brioche loaf from Harmons. 

The texture of this french toast is like a very moist bread pudding, with a little bit of caramelization on top due to the sugar sprinkled on while cooking.

The french toast was amazing.  But the syrup. Oh. My. 

I could not stop tasting it. I wanted to take a gallon home so I could figure out what was in the buttery, ever so slight maple, creamy mixture. I looked online, but nothing for CF's syrup.  I finally came up with this recipe that is a perfect topping for the Creme Brulee French toast.
If you're out for breakfast, try this at Cheesecake Factory, if you're at home this weekend, cooking for your peeps, try my version.
Have a great weekend :)

Creme Brulee French Toast with Creamy Maple Syrup
A Bountiful Kitchen
print recipe

1- 1.5 lb loaf Brioche sliced thick (about 8- one inch slices) day old is best

5 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1 1/4 cups half and half

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 tablespoon sugar
butter for cooking

Beat eggs, egg yolk, half and half, vanilla and sugar together in a 9x13 pan. 

Place the bread in the pan and let the bread soak up the egg on one side for about 5 minutes, then turn and let soak on other side. If the bread does not fit all at once in the pan, let the bread soak, then remove to plate to allow other pieces to fit in pan. Let any excess egg mixture drip off into pan.
Heat frying pan or griddle up to 350 degrees. Melt a small amount of butter in pan. Place french toast pieces in pan and fry until golden on first side. While cooking the first side, sprinkle a small amount of sugar on the uncooked side. Flip and cook other side until golden and sugar is caramelized.
Serve with Maple Cream Syrup.
Serves 4-6


Maple Cream Syrup
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
dash salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place cream, butter and brown sugar in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Cook for one minute. Remove from heat and add maple extract, dash of salt and vanilla.

Tips:
-The cooking time will vary according to the pan/heat source you are using. I use a built in griddle, which gets hotter than the typical griddle (plug in type). I've also used a Teflon pan over a flame. I believe the best crust is formed on the french toast when using a cast iron or other non Teflon type coated pan. This allows the sugar to form a bit of a caramelized layer on the outside of the french toast. That said, this recipe tastes delicious when using an electric griddle with a Teflon coating. If you are cooking several batches you may need to wipe out the pan to prevent the bread from sticking to the melted sugar. Remember to butter the pan after each batch.
-Remember the bread is thick, and time needs to be allowed to cook the inside of the french toast as well as the outside of the bread. Don't turn the heat up too high, or the outside will burn and you'll be left with a soggy inside. We're looking for tender and creamy, not soggy.
-You can find Brioche in many specialty bakeries. I have also used a Challah loaf.
-Store any leftover syrup in refrigerator, covered. It will keep for a month or so. Just heat up when ready to use.

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