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

Creme Brulee French Toast with Creamy Maple Syrup is a recipe that’s destined to be in your family favorite recipe file!

I’ve been to Cheesecake Factory for lunch and dinner, but last summer was my first time eating breakfast at the popular restaurant. Our server recommended his favorite dish- Creme Brulee French Toast with Creamy Maple Syrup. 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,  he shared this about Creme Brulee French Toast with Creamy Maple Syrup…

1. They soak the bread overnight in the egg mixture. (which I found is not necessary) he said the cooks make it in the evening, and they grill it the next morning.
2. A lot of cream is involved. I used half and half in my version.
3. The bread is a brioche loaf. Perfect bread for making decadent french toast. At our local Harmons grocery, the brioche is made with flour, eggs and butter. Top three ingredients, in that order.

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 Broiche loaf makes the very best French toast. I love the texture of this bread after it is soaked in the egg and cream mixture and then grilled to golden brown perfection! Forget about making French toast any other way after you’ve tried this recipe. It is the best French toast EVER. Trust me, I’ve eaten and made a lot of French toast in my day, and this is the best.

Oh, back to the Cheesecake Factory French toast experience! Their 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 Cheesecake Factory Syrup. I finally came up with this recipe that is a perfect topping for the Creme Brulee French toast. It takes about a minute to make (YES, one minute!) and you won’t believe how amazing it is on the Creme Brûlée French Toast!

Sometimes I make a double batch so I’m sure to have leftovers for pancakes or waffles.

If you’re out for breakfast, try the Creme Brûlée French Toast at Cheesecake Factory.  If you’re at home this weekend, cooking for your family, try my version. You won’t be sorry!

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

4.88 from 8 votes

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Author: Si Foster

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 10 minutes mins

AMAZING French toast, as in best French toast of your LIFE. This recipe will spoil you and should come with a warning: No other French toast will ever measure up after you eat this!

Ingredients 

• 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

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

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Instructions

• Beat eggs, egg yolk, half and half, vanilla and sugar together in a 9×13 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.
• Syrup: 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.

Notes

• 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.