French toast, a time-honored breakfast staple, is a versatile dish with countless variations enjoyed worldwide. When planning your next brunch, the choices are endless: sweet or savory fillings, cooked on the stovetop or in the oven, and a wide range of bread options. For a truly exceptional French toast, selecting the right bread is paramount.
For a sturdy French toast that can withstand the custard, opt for bread with a uniform texture and a soft crust. Hearty sandwich bread, brioche, challah, and shokupan (a Japanese milk bread) are all excellent choices. Avoid rustic loaves with thick crusts or large holes in the interior.
Traditionally, French toast was created as a means of utilizing stale bread. Contemporary recipes often recommend using stale bread to maximize custard absorption. However, according to Milk Street, stale bread can be deceptive. The water content is trapped within starch crystals in the bread, which can be released by heating it to temperatures exceeding 140 degrees. Therefore, instead of leaving bread out overnight, a more effective method is to dry it in a low oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 300 degrees. You can even use a toaster at a low setting to achieve the desired dryness.
French toast is prepared by soaking bread in a custard, typically composed of eggs and milk. The bread must be sturdy enough to absorb the liquid without disintegrating. Bread with a uniform texture is ideal, avoiding loaves with irregular crumbs or numerous holes. Rustic breads with thick, hard crusts may require extended soaking to fully absorb the custard mixture. If the crust is particularly thick or hard, it may not hydrate sufficiently, resulting in dry spots in the finished French toast.
White bread is a classic choice for French toast, evoking nostalgic memories and the diner-style experience. The ideal white bread for French toast should be thicker than sandwich bread and possess a hearty texture. This type of bread strikes a balance between childhood nostalgia and the decadent indulgence of French toast.
For an incredibly soft and airy French toast, sandwich bread can deliver exceptional results when the right bread is selected. Look for bread labeled “hearty,” “thick-cut,” or “Texas toast.” Thin slices tend to collapse more during soaking. Alternatively, you can opt for a pullman loaf and slice the bread yourself to your desired thickness. Sliced wheat bread can also make good French toast, but may require slightly longer soaking time.
Denser than sandwich bread yet still soft and pliable, challah is a preferred choice for French toast. Its flavor complements a rich custard, and its braided shape creates visually appealing slices. Another gold-standard option is brioche, which offers the perfect balance between a sturdy texture and a soft, uniform crumb. This versatile bread is suitable for a wide range of applications, and French toast is a testament to its exceptional qualities. Brioche’s buttery, slightly sweet flavor serves as an excellent base for both sweet and savory French toast preparations.
Finally, shokupan, a lightly sweetened white bread with a soft texture, is another great choice for French toast. Similar to brioche, its subtle sweetness harmonizes well with the flavors of French toast. Shokupan slices tend to be on the thicker side, making them ideal for soaking up custard.
