Brian Nagele
Are you as big of a fan of breakfast as I am? In my opinion, breakfast is the best meal of the day.
I love all popular breakfast foods: eggs, bacon, grits, or pancakes. One of my all-time favorites is French toast.
Plain French toast uses three simple ingredients: bread, milk, and eggs.
If you want to have delicious French toast, you should use high-quality milk and eggs. That means buying locally produced ingredients if you have access to them. Out of all the ingredients, the bread is the most important.
Using good bread for your French toast is the difference between a sad, soggy mess and a gourmet brunch. I’ll show you the best bread for French toast so that you don’t have to suffer through more soggy-toast mornings.
Challah
Challah bread is an excellent bread choice from Jewish origins. It’s made from an egg-enriched yeast dough so it’s rich, thick, and sturdy.
It’s twisted into braids that are visually appealing but also help the bread hold its integrity. Challah’s slightly sweet flavor works well with the eggy batter French toast is soaked in before getting fried.
There’s a version of Challah bread that’s made without eggs that has a texture closer to a baguette.
This version is perfectly fine to use, too, but it may be dryer. Leftover Challah is best to use as it soaks up the batter best.
Brioche
Brioche is probably the most commonly used bread for French toast. It’s thick, fluffy, and buttery, which is everything you want in French toast.
It’s made from a leavened yeast dough which is heavy on the eggs and the butter. Those ingredients are what make it so delicious.
Most people in America eat sweet French toast, but if you happen to like it savory, you might prefer a different kind of bread. Brioche is usually made with sugar, which makes it sweeter than others.
You can buy it in a loaf or individual buns. However it comes, you’ll want to cut it into slices at least half an inch thick.
Brioche is the best at soaking up the egg, so you’ll have sweet insides and crispy outsides.
White Bread
White bread is the easiest bread to come by, and it’s one of the best breads for French toast dishes.
It has a light taste that lets the flavor of the egg batter and maple syrup stand out. If you’re worried about the toast’s sturdiness, you can use thicker cuts of white bread.
Most people have white bread on hand already, so it’s a solid choice for your Sunday morning escapades.
I love to make a peanut butter French toast if I have white bread in the house. Adding crushed nuts and slices of banana to this dish takes it to the next level.
French Bread
French bread, or baguettes, is another classic French toast choice. French bread has a crunchy, flaky exterior and a warm, soft interior.
Its hard shell helps it hold its shape when fried, and its soft interior soaks up the egg batter without any trouble.
French bread would be the best choice if you want a savory toast because it’s not made with sugar.
For a delicious savory French toast, take advantage of French bread’s neutral flavor by adding mustard, thyme, oregano, and other herbs and spices. If you’ve never sampled a savory French toast, you have to try it.
Milk Bread
Milk bread, or shokupan as it’s called in Japan, is similar to white bread.
But, milk bread tends to be fattier and more flavorful. You can find it in rectangular loaves with a thin crust. When cut into thick slices, milk bread is perfect for French toast.
Milk bread’s fluffy texture and sweet taste come from a mix of:
- All-purpose flour
- White sugar
- Salt
- Milk
Milk bread is one of my favorite types of bread to use for French toast. I love amping up the decadence by adding strawberries, chocolate drizzle, and crushed nuts.
Croissant
Croissants might seem like an unusual choice for French toast, I know. But, they have the best texture and add a more intense buttery flavor.
The key is to use stale croissants. Fresh croissants aren’t able to hold their shape when being soaked in the egg batter.
If you’re wanting to use croissants, let them sit out overnight.
If you want to make croissants from scratch, you’ll need:
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Sugar
- Instant yeast
French toast made from croissants goes well with fresh fruit and cream. I love using strawberries and raspberries, but you can get creative with the toppings.
The larger and more circular your croissants, the better the French toast.
Sourdough
Last but certainly not least, is Sourdough. Sourdough is a naturally leavened bread that uses few ingredients and has a distinct, slightly tangy taste.
It’s a light bread with a thick crust that can hold its shape on a hot, buttery griddle.
What makes sourdough stand out is that it’s fermented, making it easier to digest and giving it an airy texture.
The tanginess of sourdough creates an interesting flavor whether you choose sweet or savory. For me, I like to make it savory.
I add shredded sharp cheddar cheese and bacon to create the perfect brunch dish with a layered flavor.
