Crème Brûlée French Toast

Method

1. In a wide, shallow 20 cm dish, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and salt until no streaks of egg white remain.

   Add in this stepEggs 2Whole milk 100 mlDouble or heavy cream 60 mlCaster sugar (for the custard) 20 gVanilla extract ½ tspSalt 1 pinch

2. Cut the bread into 3–4 cm thick slices; day-old, slightly dry bread soaks up custard best. Prick each slice a few times with a fork, lay it in the custard and soak for 10 min, turning once halfway and pressing gently. It should be moist right through but not falling apart.

   Add in this stepBrioche or milk bread (one 3–4 cm thick slice each) 2

3. Melt the butter in a 24 cm frying pan on medium-low heat. When the foam settles, add the bread and cook for 3 min 30 sec per side, until deep golden brown. Cover with a lid and cook 2 min more so the custard in the middle sets; the slices should spring back when pressed, not feel squishy. If they don't fit in one layer, cook in two batches and split the butter.

   Add in this stepButter 20 g

   medium-low heat

4. Move the toast to plates and sprinkle the caramel sugar evenly over the tops. Torch for about 2 min in total, keeping the flame moving, until glassy and deep amber. No torch: wipe the pan clean and press the sugared side down into the dry pan on medium heat for about 1 minute until caramelised. Careful: melted sugar is extremely hot.

   Add in this stepCaster sugar (for the caramel) 4 tsp

   medium heat

5. Let the caramel set for 1 minute so it turns crisp, then top with the berries and serve at once, before steam from the toast softens the crust.

   Add in this stepMixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) 60 g