Crème Caramel French Toast

 Category: Breakfast/Brunch       Yield: 4 servings

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Caramel Sauce:

2         tablespoons    light corn syrup

1          cup                 packed golden brown sugar

5         tablespoons    unsalted butter

French Toast:

8         slices Texas Toast-style bread, crusts removed, cut into 1″ cubes

4         large eggs 

1          cup half & half

1          teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

4         heaping tablespoons sour cream

2         cups sliced strawberries, or other fresh berries

4         small fresh mint sprigs, optional

Grease four oven-safe (8 ounce size) ramekins or spray each with non-stick cooking spray.

Make Caramel Sauce: 

Combine corn syrup, brown sugar and butter in a small 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat. Stirring constantly, cook until syrup mixture comes to a boil, and let it boil for about one minute. Remove from heat and carefully pour hot syrup into prepared ramekins, dividing mixture evenly. 

 
Make French Toast:

Place one-fourth of the bread cubes into each ramekin, gently pressing them into the syrup. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, half & half and vanilla.  Pour the mixture over the bread, dividing it evenly among the ramekins.  Cover ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

 The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove
ramekins from the refrigerator, uncover and discard plastic wrap.  Place ramekins in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes until puffed and golden.  Do not overbake as caramel sauce will dry up.

 Remove from oven and let cool for 3-5 minutes. French Toast will deflate slightly. To serve, loosen edges of bread from ramekin sides with the blade of a knife or a thin-bladed spatula.   Place a serving plate upside down on a ramekin and holding both plate and ramekin, invert ramekin onto plate.  Remove ramekin so caramelized portion of French Toast is on top. 

 Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon sour cream on top of each French Toast serving and place 1/2 cup fresh berries over sour cream & French Toast.  Garnish with fresh mint sprig.  Other berries, such as blueberries, blackberries or raspberries may be substituted for strawberries. Serve immediately.