French Toast Souffle Recipe

Preheat the oven: if using a wood-fired oven, bring it to a steady 375°F (190°C) baking zone. For a conventional oven, preheat to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch (or similarly sized deep) baking dish with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, coating bottom and sides.

Slice the day-old French bread on a slight diagonal into 1-inch-thick slices. If loaf is too tall for the dish, trim to fit. Arrange slices snugly but not overcrowded in the buttered dish so pieces stand or lay with some overlap, leaving small gaps for custard to soak in.

Warm dairy and infuse vanilla

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Add scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean and the pod (or 1 tsp vanilla extract if using). Warm over medium heat until just below simmer — small bubbles forming at the edges — then remove from heat. Let the vanilla steep for 10 minutes for full flavor (skip resting if using extract).

Whisk eggs and sugar

While the dairy steeps, whisk together 4 whole eggs, 2 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional) in a medium bowl until combined and slightly frothy.

Temper eggs

Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Continue adding the warm milk in a thin stream until all is incorporated.

Finish custard

Return the tempered egg-dairy mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (do not boil). This should take 3–5 minutes. Once thickened (temperature ~170–175°F / 77–80°C if using a thermometer), remove the vanilla pod and let cool 2–3 minutes.

Pour the warm vanilla custard evenly over the arranged bread, pressing slices gently down so the custard penetrates. Cover the dish loosely with plastic wrap or foil and let rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to allow the custard to soak through the bread. For a more custardy center, you can refrigerate for up to 1 hour, then bring back to room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven. In a wood-fired oven locate a zone with steady 375°F (190°C) heat; avoid the hottest embers so the top browns evenly. Bake uncovered for 20–30 minutes, rotating the dish once halfway if needed, until the top is puffed and golden brown and the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the remaining bake time. Total bake time may vary with oven type and dish depth; expect 20–35 minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest 5 minutes so the souffle settles slightly. Dust the top with powdered sugar (about 2 tablespoons) just before serving to preserve the visual contrast of the golden top.

Cut into portions (the dish serves 6). Serve warm with maple syrup or fruit compote (about 1/2 cup) on the side. If you like, top individual portions with fresh berries or a dollop of whipped cream.