Bread Pudding Déjà Brunch

Caramelized Cinnamon Bread Pudding French Toast Casserole with a Crackly Sugar Crust

45 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerAmerican
Herb's take

This Southern-inspired dinner casserole transforms leftover cinnamon bread pudding into a family-style French toast bake, crowned with a brûléed sugar topping for that dinner-deserving wow factor. You’ll learn how to coax custardy richness from leftovers and wield your broiler for maximum caramelization.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with a bit of butter or nonstick spray.
  2. 02
    Arrange the cubed cinnamon bread pudding evenly in the dish, gently pressing to form a mostly even layer.
  3. 03
    In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, 1/2 cup sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, melted butter, and kosher salt until smooth.
  4. 04
    Pour the custard slowly over the bread pudding cubes, pressing down lightly so everything gets a good soak. Let it stand for 10 minutes so the bread absorbs the liquid.
  5. 05
    Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the custard is just set at the edges.
  6. 06
    Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until the top is golden and slightly puffed.
  7. 07
    Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
  8. 08
    Evenly sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the surface. Broil 2-4 inches from the heat source for 2-3 minutes, watching closely, until the sugar melts and forms a crackly golden crust.
  9. 09
    Cool for 5 minutes, then slice and serve warm, optionally with a dollop of whipped cream or a pour of maple syrup if you’re feeling extra.
  10. 10
    Store leftovers (if any survive) covered in the fridge and reheat gently in the oven to restore the crisp topping.

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