Sometimes we all need to take a moment, slow down, and treat ourselves. I can't think of an easier way to make the everyday special than with a decadent over the top breakfast. This Gluten and Dairy Free Crème Brûlée French Toast is the ultimate way to make any morning feel like an event.
I love French toast. It's such a great way to play with flavors while savoring the moment. This towering stack combines the decadence of crème brûlée with the bright tang of cherries.
And a Cherry on Top
After a busy week packed with work, appointments, meetings, and commitments, it's nice to treat yourself and family to something a little special. This Gluten and Dairy Free Crème Brûlée French Toast is the perfect way to do that.
Crème brûlée is just one of those desserts that always feels like an occasion. The combination of silky creamy custard and crispy burnt sugar gives that balance of sweet and a little bitter. In its purest form with flecks of floral vanilla, it's decadent, but it's also a canvas for other flavors.
I love cherries. There's something irresistible about their sweet and sour flavor. They're just as at home in a sweet dish like this as they are in savory dishes such as my recipe for Gluten Free Chicken Thighs with Spiced Cherry Glaze.
While fresh cherries are best, this sauce can be made year round using frozen cherries. Bonus points they usually come pitted!
There are three components to this French toast, the French toast itself. the Dairy Free vanilla pastry cream, and the cherry sauce. Both the cherry sauce and pastry cream can be prepared ahead of time.
Stacking Up Gluten and Dairy Free Crème Brûlée French Toast
Pop open the bubbly because this French toast deserves a little sparkle. Let's break down the components of this luxurious morning treat.
- You want your pastry cream completely chilled. That makes it ideal to make it the night before.
- To make your pastry cream bring the oat milk and vanilla paste to a boil. In a seperate bowl whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, egg, cornstarch, and salt.
- Add a ladle full of the hot oat milk into the whisked egg mixture, continually stirring the entire time. Add another ladle full and continue to stir. This process is called tempering.
- Add the warmed egg mixture into the pot of oat milk and continue to stir until it's thickened. It should become velvety and hug the back of your spoon.
- Pour the thick pastry cream into a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap touches the pastry cream. This will prevent it from forming a skin.
- To make your cherry sauce for your Gluten and Dairy Free Crème Brûlée French Toast add all of your ingredients to a pot and cook for 10 minutes. Using a potato masher mash them down and cook for ten minutes more until the cherries are soft and the sauce has thickened.
- Use your favorite Gluten Free bread for the French toast itself.
- To make your French toast make sure your griddle or skillet is fully heated on medium before adding your bread. You want the custard to cook through while the outside of the bread browns.
- To get that brûléed effect sprinkle a little sugar on top of the pastry cream and use a kitchen torch to caramelize it some. What is more fun than playing with a little fire in the morning?
Now that I know you're craving this ultimate stack of French toast, let's get cooking!
Gluten and Dairy Free Crème Brûlée French Toast
Equipment
- saucepan
- Mixing Bowl
- Skillet
Ingredients
French Toast
- Gluten Free bread Recipe makes approximately 8 slices
- 1 egg
- 1 cup Dairy Free milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp Dairy Free butter
Cherry Sauce
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
- 1 tbsp orange liquor
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ cup water
Dairy Free Pastry Cream
- 2 cups oat milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla paste
- pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
French Toast
- Mix the egg, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla together in a bowl.
- Heat a large skillet over medium low. Add 1 tbsp for the first batch of French toast and melt.
- Dip the slices of bread into the egg mixture, making sure it soaks in on both sides.
- Add the dipped slices of bread to the heated skillet, careful not to crowd. You will need to work in batches.
- Cook the French toast 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
Cherry Sauce
- Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan on medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Use a potato masher to break up the cherries. Cook for 10 minutes more until the sauce is thickened and the cherries are tender.
Dairy Free Pastry Cream
- Add the oat milk and vanilla to a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- In a separate bowl mix together the remaining ingredients.
- Once the oat milk is boiling add a ladle full of the mixture to the egg mixture, whisking the entire time. Add another ladle full of the hot milk and continue to whisk.
- Pour the warmed egg mixture into the hot milk. Continue to whisk until the mixture becomes thick and creamy. It should coat a spoon and hold its shape when you draw a line down the back of the spoon.
- Pour the pastry cream into a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to cool in the refrigerator.
Gluten and Dairy Free Crème Brûlée French Toast
- To build your French toast layer the cherry sauce between each slice of French toast.
- Top the stack with a generous scoop of the pastry cream.
- Optional, sprinkle a little sugar on top of the pastry cream and use a kitchen torch to caramelize it.
- Enjoy!
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