The best bread for French toast – the choice of bread is essential to make this classic breakfast dish a success. While many bread options may seem good for French toast, not all bread is created equal. The ideal bread should be absorbent, have a sturdy structure, and have a neutral or slightly sweet flavour.
In this article, we will explore the top bread options for French toast, including traditional favourites such as sourdough and French bread and alternative options like gluten-free bread. Whether you’re a French toast aficionado or want to try something new, read on to discover the best bread for making this beloved breakfast dish.
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What to Consider when Choosing Bread for French Toast
Here’s what you need to consider when choosing the perfect bread for French toast:
1. Sturdiness
You must saturate the bread in a wet, milky egg mixture, no matter which French toast recipe you use. The bread you choose must withstand soaking and pan-frying without falling apart. Opt for something thick-cut and dense instead of something finely sliced and airy.
2. Slight staleness
French toast is traditionally made with day-old bread because it prevents waste, and slightly stale slices absorb the custard-like mixture better than fresh ones.
This is not a prerequisite (especially if you’re not using homemade bread), and you can make French toast with brand-new bread. Just something to remember before you throw out a loaf that’s nearing its expiration date!
3. Flavour
Have you ever heard someone say you should never cook with wine you wouldn’t drink? Apply that same principle here. For truly perfect French toast, you need to use quality ingredients.
4. Thick slices
Thick slices of bread are preferred as they provide a more substantial base for the French toast.
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Best Bread for French Toast
1. Sourdough
It is a classic choice for French toast, as its slightly tangy flavour and dense texture make it ideal for soaking up the egg and milk mixture without becoming too soggy. Additionally, sourdough bread has a sturdy structure that holds up well during cooking.
When using sourdough bread for French toast, choosing a loaf that is slightly stale or left out to dry overnight is best. This will allow the bread to absorb the egg mixture without becoming too mushy.
To make sourdough French toast, slice the bread into thick slices and dip each slice into a mixture of beaten eggs, milk, and spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook the slices in a skillet or griddle until golden brown, and serve with your favourite toppings, such as maple syrup or fresh berries.
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2. Brioche
Brioche is everything a perfect French toast bread should be: thick and sturdy with a tender, plush crumb. Its high butter and egg content makes it an ideal companion for the rich custard made with eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. For these reasons and more, many French toast recipes call for thick-sliced brioche.
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3. Pullman Loaf
This is just a fancy name for sandwich bread, but the key distinction is that it’s a loaf, meaning bread slices can be sliced as thick as you would like them. Lighter and less dense than brioche or challah, slices from a Pullman loaf just need a quick dunk into the custard before cooking. The Pullman Loaf is one of the best bread for french toast meal
If you like your toast extra creamy, dunk for longer, as desired, but keep an eye on the bread slice to be sure it doesn’t get soggy into the batter.
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4. Stale Bread
Stale, day-old bread also does a great job. Whatever bread you choose to make French toast, save the leftovers and ends for a rainy day pay-off of French toast.
Pop those odds and ends of once-fresh tasty bread into a resealable freezer bag (but make sure to use them within a month), as slightly stale bread absorbs the custard better than fresh bread.
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5. Challah
Challah is another great option for French Toast. Compared to other bread, challah does not have enough flavour or texture. Challah doesn’t have enough experience in the sweetness department. Therefore you may need to add more sugar to the egg mixture or in the topping.
Challah bread is also denser and drier than the previous two options.
If you don’t like your French Toast to be sweet or if you are making a savoury recipe, Challah would be a good option. Loaf of Challah bread is also much thicker and larger in size than Brioche and French Baguette, so you will end up with fewer but bigger slices of French Toast.
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6. White Bread
White bread is the easiest bread to come by and is one of the best bread for French toast dishes. It has a light taste that lets the flavour of the egg batter and maple syrup stand out. If you are worried about the toast’s sturdiness, you can use thicker cuts of white bread.
White bread is handy, making it your go-to for French toast.
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7. French Bread
French bread, or baguettes, is another classic French toast choice. French bread has a crunchy, flaky exterior and a 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 will be the best choice if you want savoury toast because it’s not made with sugar. For a delicious savoury French toast, take advantage of French bread’s neutral flavour by adding mustard, thyme, oregano, and other herbs and spices. If you’ve never sampled a savoury French toast, you have to try it.
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8. 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 flavour.
The key is to use stale croissants. Fresh croissants can’t hold their shape when soaked in the egg batter.
If you want 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. The larger and more circular your croissants, the better the French toast.
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9. Gluten-Free Bread
Traditional bread may not be an option for making French toast for those who follow a gluten-free diet. However, several gluten-free bread options can make delicious gluten-free French toast.
Gluten-free bread can be made from various ingredients, including rice flour, almond flour, quinoa flour, and chickpea flour. This bread can have a slightly different texture than traditional wheat bread, but it can still make great French toast with the right preparation.
Choosing bread with a sturdy structure and dense texture is important when using gluten-free bread for French toast. This will allow the bread to hold up to the egg and milk mixture without falling apart during cooking.
Additionally, gluten-free bread may require a longer soaking in the egg mixture to ensure it is thoroughly coated and infused with flavour.
To make gluten-free French toast, slice the bread into thick slices and dip each slice into a mixture of beaten eggs, milk (or non-dairy milk), and spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook the slices in a skillet or griddle until golden brown, and serve with your favourite toppings.
A gluten-Free Bread is one of the best bread for french toast
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the bread you use for French toast can make or break this classic breakfast dish. The ideal bread should have a sturdy structure, be absorbent without becoming too mushy, and have a neutral or slightly sweet flavour with a dense texture.
While sourdough and French bread are classic French toast choices, other options such as brioche, challah, and cinnamon raisin bread can also be delicious.
You can make the perfect French toast for breakfast or brunch by choosing the right bread and following simple steps. So next time you’re craving French toast, consider using one of the bread options explored in this article on best bread for french toast and elevate this simple dish to the next level.
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FAQs for Best Bread For French Toast
What type of bread is best for French toast?
The top three bread choices for French Toast are Brioche, French Baguette, and Challah. All of these options will yield a wonderful French Toast, but we have to give the most stars to Brioche.
What kind of bread makes the best toast?
Challah, ciabatta, semolina bread, baguettes split lengthwise, pain de champagne — all make fine toast (day-old bread makes the best toast), given proper attention.
What can I use instead of brioche bread for French toast?
Challah Bread.
Pullman Loaf.
Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)
Hawaiian Sweet Bread.
Croissant
What are the three types of French bread?
Baguette – a long, thin type of bread of French origin.
Boule de pain – a traditional shape of French bread resembling a squashed ball.
Brioche – has a high egg and butter content, which gives it a rich, tender and tight crumb.
