This recipe combines two of my favorite desserts – sticky toffee pudding and French Toast, into one epic breakfast dish. Thick brioche slices soaked in a date and brown sugar French Toast custard, topped with butterscotch sauce, whipped cream, and your favorite nuts, this breakfast will make you forget your favorite brunch spot and have you making breakfast at home every week!
Sticky Toffee Pudding is one of the top desserts on my list. There’s something about the combination of all the cozy, warm flavors like dates, cinnamon, and butterscotch, that makes it feel like a warm hug, especially during the cold, winter days.
But one thing I get during winter is LAZY. I don’t want to get out of my cozy blanket, so I definitely don’t want to spend time in the kitchen making Sticky Toffee Pudding. BUT I still want those delicious, warming flavors! What should I say, a girl wants what she wants.
So here’s my perfect solution – Sticky Toffee French Toast. All those delicious flavors of a classic Sticky Toffee Pudding packed in a super simple breakfast dish that comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Let’s get into the details.
PS: If you wanna make REAL Sticky Toffee Pudding, here’s my fool-proof recipe!
Butterscotch Sauce
There is no sticky TOFFEE pudding without the toffee aka butterscotch sauce, so of course we’re dousing our sticky toffee french toast with a rich and delicious homemade butterscotch sauce that uses only three ingredients and could not be easier to make.
Here are the steps for making the butterscotch sauce.
- In a saucepan, add butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream/liquid whipping cream. You HAVE to use brown sugar because that’s what makes butterscotch sauce different from caramel. If you use white sugar, you would just be making caramel, and also, the recipe would not work as brown sugar and white sugar behave differently when cooked. Make sure to use PACKED brown sugar (the one that is super fine, like sand) and not the granulated kind.
- Let the ingredients cook on medium heat until the butter melts completely, mixing a few times during the process.
- Once everything is melted, whisk the sauce until well combined (make sure to use a whisk!), then let it simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes until it thickens slightly. Do not cook for too long or the sauce will become too thick. Don’t worry if it looks thin as it will thicken as it cools down.
- Turn the heat off and mix the sea salt. Set it aside until ready to use.
Tip: You can make this butterscotch sauce and store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I recommend making a big batch and storing it so that you can use it in your coffee, hot chocolate, ice cream, etc.
Sticky Toffee French Toast
The French toast batter for this is made just like any other French toast but with the addition of date paste and brown sugar instead of white sugar. You can either use store-bought date paste or make your own with dates.
Here are the steps for making the date paste and the French Toast.
- Make the date paste: Pit and soak dates in boiling hot water for 20 minutes until they soften, then strain and blend until smooth. You can add a little hot water to make the blending process easier if needed.
- For the French Toast batter, add warm milk and the date paste in a bowl and whisk until well combined. If you are using date paste out of the fridge, then make sure to soften it by warming it in the microwave for 30 seconds to make the mixing process easier. I mix the date paste with the milk before adding the eggs to make the whisking process easier.
- Next, add the eggs, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder (or any spices you like), and salt and whisk until combined.
- I recommend using a few days-old, thick brioche slices for this recipe. When the bread is a few days old, it tends to be a little drier than fresh bread. This allows the bread to soak the batter properly without breaking down. You can soak the bread for 2-3 minutes on each side without breaking if it’s a little dry, whereas fresh brioche will break down if you soak it for more than 30 seconds.
- Soak the brioche bread slices for 2 minutes on each side until well-soaked. Meanwhile, heat the saucepan on medium and add ghee or butter.
- Place the soaked brioche slices into the pan and cook on medium heat until golden brown on both sides. I do not recommend cooking the French Toast on high heat as the outside will become golden brown but the inside will remain uncooked.
- Once ready, place one brioche slice on the plate, top it with butterscotch sauce, then place the second brioche slice. Top it with more butterscotch sauce, whipped cream, any nuts of your choice, and a final drizzle of butterscotch sauce. Enjoy warm.
The batter can also be prepped and stored in the fridge the night before to make your breakfast even quicker!
Told you, it can’t get easier than this.
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are very unreliable and can give different measurements, so I would suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Sticky Toffee French Toast
Equipment
- Hand whisk
- Saucepan
- Blender
Ingredients
Butterscotch Sauce
- 75 grams unsalted butter
- 130 grams packed brown sugar
- 95 ml liquid whipping cream/heavy cream
French Toast Batter
- 60 grams date paste store-bought or homemade
- 2 eggs
- 120 grams full-fat milk
- 25 grams brown sugar add less based on your taste preference
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder optional
- 1/4 th tsp salt
- Whipped cream optional for topping
- Chopped nuts of your choice for topping
Instructions
Butterscotch Sauce
- In a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream or liquid whipping cream.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is completely melted.
- Once melted, whisk the mixture thoroughly until smooth and well blended (don’t skip the whisking!). Allow it to simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes until it slightly thickens. Avoid overcooking, as the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Remove from heat, stir in the sea salt, and set aside until ready to serve.
French Toast Batter
- Make the date paste (if not using store-bought): Pit the dates and soak them in boiling water for about 20 minutes to soften. Drain the water and blend the dates until smooth, adding a little hot water if necessary to help with blending.
- In a bowl, mix the warm milk with the date paste and whisk until smooth. If using date paste from the fridge, warm it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make it easier to combine. Mixing the date paste with the milk first ensures a smoother batter before adding the eggs.
- Next, add the eggs, vanilla extract, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg (or your preferred spices), and a pinch of salt. Whisk everything together until fully combined.
- Dip each slice of brioche into the batter, letting it soak for about 2 minutes per side. Heat a pan over medium heat and melt some butter or ghee.
- Cook the soaked bread slices on medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Avoid high heat, as this can cause the outside to brown too quickly while leaving the inside undercooked.
- Assembling the French Toast: Place one slice of French toast on a plate, drizzle generously with butterscotch sauce, then layer the second slice on top. Add more butterscotch sauce, a dollop of whipped cream, and your choice of nuts, and finish with an extra drizzle of butterscotch sauce. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- This French Toast is best enjoyed warm
- The butterscotch sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.
- The French Toast batter can be made the night before and stored in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to use.
- The butterscotch sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.
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Making Butterscotch Sauce:
- Use a whisk to combine the sauce ingredients smoothly—this ensures a velvety texture.
- Don’t overcook the sauce! It might look thin when hot but will thicken as it cools.
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Preparing Date Paste:
- Soak dates in hot water for at least 20 minutes to ensure they blend easily into a smooth paste.
- If your blender struggles, add a small amount of hot water to loosen the mixture.
-
French Toast Batter:
- Warm up cold date paste in the microwave before mixing—it blends more easily with the milk.
- Whisk the milk and date paste together first to avoid lumps before adding the other ingredients.
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Choosing the Bread:
- Use thick slices of slightly stale brioche for the best results. Stale bread absorbs the batter well without falling apart.
- Avoid fresh brioche, which can disintegrate if soaked too long.
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Cooking French Toast:
- Always cook on medium heat. High heat can cause the outside to brown too quickly while leaving the center undercooked.
- Allow the bread to soak for 2-3 minutes per side for maximum flavor and texture.
This would make the perfect breakfast for chilly mornings with a side of masala chai or hot chocolate, or maybe butterscotch coffee? Ah! Maybe even for Christmas morning since it can be prepped in advance!
If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram!
Until next time.!
