Stone Hill Inn Baked Crème Brulee French Toast

Step 1: Butter a 8.5-inch springform pan. Wrap the bottom and sides with foil, making the pieces long enough to fold up and over the top of the pan while baking. A criss-cross pattern of two or more long pieces of foil works best.

Step 2: Combine the cream and vanilla bean (or extract) in a medium saucepan over medium heat just long enough to warm the cream – 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture steep until cool, about 15 min.

Step 3: Pour the cream into a mixing bowl, straining out the vanilla bean. Cut the bean open lengthwise and scrape out all the fragrant little black seeds. Stir the vanilla seeds back into the cream or use a good quality vanilla extract (see Note below).

Step 4: Add the egg yolks and sugar to the cream, then whisk the custard mixture until well combined and uniformly light yellow.

Step 5: Make a layer of bread slices, cutting or tearing slices as needed to fit evenly. Pour about a quarter of the custard mixture evenly over the bread.

Step 6: Repeat with 2 more layers of bread and custard. The bread may rise a bit above the rim of the pan on the last layer. Pour the remaining custard over it slowly so that you get minimal runoff over the pan’s edge. Fold the foil up over the top.

Step 7: Arrange a plate over the foil and weight with a can of beans or other heavy can. Refrigerate for about one hour (or overnight) allowing the custard to soak through the bread thoroughly.

Step 8: Shortly before the mixture is finished soaking, preheat the oven to 325F. Place the springform pan in a water bath that comes about halfway up the pan’s side. Bake for 1.5 hrs or until firm at the center.

Step 9: Open the foil top and cool completely. Fold the foil back over and chill until ready to use.

Step 10: When you are ready to serve the French toast, preheat the oven to 350F.

Step 11: Cut the French toast into 8 wedges – more/fewer as you wish. Arrange the wedges on a baking sheet, then brush each wedge lightly with melted butter.

Step 12: Bake for about 10 minutes until warm in the center and lightly toasted/crisp on the surface. (You don’t actually have the caramel topping of crème brulee, but you get its familiar creamy custard and contrasting crunchy surface.)

Step 13: Arrange each wedge on a plate, surround with a pool of maple syrup, and garnish with fruit and whipped cream, if using, and if you prefer a sprinkling of powdered sugar. This French Toast is perfect served with bacon or sausage.

NOTE: Though a good quality vanilla extract can be used, there is no flavor like using fresh vanilla bean in the recipe. The fresh is amazing. If using extract, please use real, not imitation.