Creme Brulee French Toast

I've had this idea bouncing around my head for awhile. Crème Brulee. French Toast. Marriage made in heaven? I wouldn't find out until tonight, but let me tell you, it was worth the wait. This may be my favorite recipe I've created to date.

Bruleed French toast, crème fraiche filling and a blueberry compote. So happy together.

Crème Brulee French Toast
serves 6-8 people

1 loaf brioche bread, sliced (stale bread works better)
1 1/2 cups milk
4 eggs
1 TBSP vanilla
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
1/4 c sugar, plus more for brulee
Butter for cooking

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Allow the sliced bread to soak in the mixture for about 10 minutes. Heat griddle or non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add about 1 TBSP of butter to griddle and cover entire pan. Place soaked bread on the griddle and cook about 5-7 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Crème Fraiche Filling

6 oz crème fraiche
seeds from one vanilla bean
2 TBSP powdered sugar

Split the vanilla bean and scrape out all the seeds and place them in the crème fraiche. Add powdered sugar and mix together until smooth. Set aside for assembly.

Blueberry Compote

2 c fresh blueberries
juice of one lemon
1/4 c water
1/4 sugar

In a 2 qt sauce pan, bring all ingredients to a boil and allow berries to pop. Once they've popped, take off heat and sauce will thicken slightly.

Assembly:

Place one piece of French toast on plate, spoon crème fraiche filling over the top, top with another piece of French toast. Sprinkle the top piece with 1 tsp of sugar. Using a kitchen torch, burn the sugar on the toast. Once you've bruleed the sugar, top with blueberries and serve.

TIP: Don't have a brulee torch? Before you stack the toast, sprinkle with sugar and place it in oven set to "broil", being careful not to burn the toast. Watch the entire time!