Alice's Curious French Toast Bread Pudding

From the kitchen of Carly

Brioche soaked in a custard of eggs, cream, and citrus, then pan-fried until golden and custardy inside. The orange and lemon brighten warm cinnamon notes, making this French toast feel indulgent yet fresh. A grown-up breakfast that tastes like dessert.

Alice's Curious French Toast Bread Pudding

Golden brioche squares soaked in egg custard, then baked into a warm, spoonable bread pudding with apricot brandy cream. The trick is steeping the tea leaves in hot cream for three minutes to get floral depth without brewing bitterness. Rich and fragrant enough to feel like a restaurant finish, but the two-part process (griddle, then oven) keeps it from getting custard-heavy or soggy.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 6eggs
  • 1 cupheavy cream
  • 1 cupsugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsppure vanilla extract
  • 1 tbspfreshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tbspfreshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tspground cinnamon
  • 1loaf brioche , cut into eight 3/4-inch- thick slices
  • 1Butter, for the pan
  • 1/4 cupheavy cream
  • 1 tbspApricot Brandy tea leaves
  • 4 1/2 largeegg yolks
  • 1Half of 1 large beaten egg
  • 1/2 cupsugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsppure vanilla extract
  • 1Pure maple syrup
  • 1Crème anglaise
  • 1Fruit coulis
  • 1"Confectioners sugar"
  • 1Fresh fruit

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 350°F and let it come up to temperature while you prep.

  2. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, orange juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Whisk until smooth and fully combined, stopping before the mixture gets frothy. Lay each bread slice into the bowl and let it sit long enough to soak up the liquid thoroughly, then transfer the soaked slices to a plate.

  3. Coat a griddle or large frying pan with butter and set it over medium heat. Once hot, cook each bread slice until deeply golden on both sides, keeping the heat steady enough that the bread cooks through without scorching the egg coating. Move the finished slices to a plate as they come off.

  4. While the bread cooks, start the pudding base. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, then pull it off the heat. Lower the tea leaves into the cream using a strainer and steep for 3 minutes, then lift them out and discard (if using loose leaves, steep for 3 minutes and strain carefully). Set the apricot brandy cream aside.

  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, beaten egg, and sugar until combined. Splash a small amount of the apricot brandy cream into the egg mixture to temper it, then slowly pour in the rest, whisking the whole time. Stir in the vanilla extract and set the pudding base aside.

  6. Once all the bread has come off the griddle, cut the slices into 1 x 1-inch squares.

  7. Divide the pudding base evenly among the eight ramekins, filling each about one-fourth full. Nestle the bread squares on top, letting them mound above the rim if needed. Arrange the ramekins on a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until the bread is golden and crisp and the liquid bubbles around the edges.

  8. To serve, finish each pudding with a drizzle of maple syrup, crème anglaise, fruit coulis, or a dusting of confectioners sugar. Fresh fruit alongside or on top rounds everything out nicely.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Whisk the egg and cream mixture gently to avoid overbeating, which deflates air and makes the custard tough. You want the bread to absorb liquid, not drown in it.
  • Butter your griddle well and keep the heat at medium, not high. The goal is a golden-brown exterior that seals in moisture while the egg cooks through without burning the outside.
  • When whisking the egg yolks into the hot apricot cream, add it slowly and constantly whisk to temper the yolks and prevent scrambling.
  • Cut the cooked bread into squares after it cools slightly, so the slices hold their shape and don't tear apart.

Variations

  • Skip the apricot brandy tea and steep 2 tablespoons of Earl Grey or Darjeeling for a floral, less sweet pudding that pairs well with poached pears.
  • Use challah instead of brioche for a tighter crumb that holds the custard more firmly without tearing.
  • Make it boozy by replacing the orange juice with Grand Marnier or Cognac for warm spice notes and deeper caramel flavor.
  • Serve with fresh berries and a drizzle of their coulis instead of the full crème anglaise for brightness and less richness.

Make ahead and storage

Cover leftovers and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, covered with foil, until warmed through. Do not freeze this pudding, as the custard texture will break down.