Caramelized French Toast with Ube Yogurt Cream and Granola

Name: Caramelized French Toast with Ube Yogurt Cream and Granola
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (whole milk), Thick, strained yogurt holds a scoop best; 2 oz Cream Cheese, softened, Adds body so the cream scoops cleanly; 0.33 cup Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam), Stirred smooth; it sweetens and colors the cream; 1 tbsp Ube Powder, Deepens the purple color and nutty flavor; 1 tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup, Optional, to taste; 1 loaf Brioche Loaf, unsliced, Day-old is best; cut into four 1 1/2-inch-thick slices; 3 large Eggs; 0.75 cup Whole Milk; 1 tsp Vanilla Extract; 0.25 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 1 pinch Salt; 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, For the pan; 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar, For caramelizing the toast; 0.5 cup Granola, A nutty, clustery granola works best

This is the brunch-café plate you'd normally order out: a thick round of brioche French toast with a deeply caramelized, almost crème-brûlée crust, topped with a scoop of pale-purple ube cream that slowly melts into every nook. The trick is that the 'scoop' isn't ice cream. It's a quick whip of Greek yogurt, cream cheese, ube halaya, and a spoonful of ube powder, chilled just long enough to hold its shape. It tastes rich and nutty-sweet but carries a nice yogurt tang and real protein, which makes it feel like breakfast rather than dessert. A scatter of granola on top adds the crunch that ties everything together. Make the ube cream the night before and the whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes.

Photo by Eiliv Aceron on Unsplash

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 15 min · Difficulty: Easy · Makes: 4 4 servings

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Ingredients

1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (whole milk), Thick, strained yogurt holds a scoop best
2 oz Cream Cheese, softened, Adds body so the cream scoops cleanly
0.33 cup Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam), Stirred smooth; it sweetens and colors the cream
1 tbsp Ube Powder, Deepens the purple color and nutty flavor
1 tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup, Optional, to taste
1 loaf Brioche Loaf, unsliced, Day-old is best; cut into four 1 1/2-inch-thick slices
3 large Eggs
0.75 cup Whole Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
0.25 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 pinch Salt
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, For the pan
3 tbsp Granulated Sugar, For caramelizing the toast
0.5 cup Granola, A nutty, clustery granola works best

Instructions

Whip the Ube Cream In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth, then add the Greek yogurt, ube halaya, ube powder, and honey. Whisk until completely smooth and evenly lavender. Taste and add a little more honey if you like it sweeter.
Chill to Firm Spread the ube cream in a small container and freeze for 30-40 minutes (or refrigerate overnight), just until it's firm enough to hold a scoop but not frozen solid. If you made it the night before in the fridge, give it 15 minutes in the freezer before scooping.
Cut the Brioche Cut four thick 1 1/2-inch slices from the brioche. For the café look, use a 3 1/2-inch round cutter (or a wide glass) to stamp a round from each slice; save the trimmings for bread pudding.
Make the Custard In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until no streaks of egg remain.
Soak Lay the brioche rounds in the custard and let them soak for 30-45 seconds per side, so the custard reaches the center without the bread falling apart. Lift them onto a rack to let the excess drip off.
Cook and Caramelize Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle the tops of the soaked rounds with half the sugar and place them sugar-side down in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until deep golden and caramelized. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on top, flip, and cook another 4-5 minutes. Low heat is key: it gives the center time to set before the sugar burns.
Scoop and Serve Set each French toast round on a plate, top with a generous scoop of ube cream, and scatter granola over the top and around the plate. Serve right away while the toast is hot and the cream starts to melt down the sides.

Pro Tips

Use day-old brioche. Fresh bread is too soft and turns soggy in the custard; slightly stale bread soaks it up and still holds its shape.
Pure ube powder like UBIYAM's has no added sugar, so it deepens the color and flavor without making the cream overly sweet. Let the halaya and honey handle the sweetness.
Don't skip the freezer step for the ube cream. Straight from the bowl it's spreadable but won't scoop; 30-40 minutes gives you that ice-cream look without actually being frozen.
Keep the heat at medium-low. Sugar on the pan side burns quickly at high heat before the custard in the middle has a chance to cook through.

Variations

Ube Custard Toast: Whisk 1 tsp of ube powder into the egg custard for purple-tinted toast under the purple cream.
Lighter Version: Skip the cream cheese and use all Greek yogurt; serve it as a soft dollop instead of a scoop.
Weekend Splurge: Swap the ube cream for a scoop of real ube ice cream and finish with a drizzle of coconut caramel.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

468 calories · 58g carbs · 17g protein · 19g fat · 27g sugar · 2g fiber

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the ube cream ahead?

Yes. It keeps in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Give it 15 minutes in the freezer before serving so it firms up enough to scoop.

What bread can I use instead of brioche?

Challah, Japanese milk bread (shokupan), or thick-cut Texas toast all work well. Avoid thin sandwich bread, which can't absorb enough custard without falling apart.

Do I need both ube halaya and ube powder?

You can make it with just halaya; the cream will be a softer lilac with a milder flavor. The powder is what pushes the color to that vivid purple and adds a deeper, nutty ube taste without extra sugar.

Recommended Ingredient

UBIYAM Organic Ube Powder (100 g) — read our review.