You can indeed make French Toast with any type of day-old bread. But if you want to know the best type of bread for French Toast (or Pain Perdu as it’s called in French), I’ve saved you the experiment. I love bread, and when in France, what better excuse to buy five different loaves at once than for work purposes is there?!
My French Toast recipe
I wanted the flavour of the bread to shine through, so I kept the recipe simple. Some whipped cream and maple syrup on the side would have made these even more delicious!
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 50 ml milk
- 2 sugar cubes
- Salt and pepper
I added all the custard ingredients to the bowl and whisked them together
Dipped the day-old bread in the custard and let them firm up whilst I heated the pan.
Each bread was then fried in plenty of butter until golden brown.
Once all the bread was fried, I started judging which bread made the best French toast.
The best bread for French Toast – The results
Traditional French baguette
French toast made with this traditional French baguette has a beautiful texture. It’s not so soft that it’s boring, yet not so chewy that it’s hard to eat.
The flavour brings out the eggy flavour of custard in a complimentary way. Delicious. A traditional baguette is the best bread for making French toast.
Brioche
The taste of brioche French toast is SO MORRISH! The brioche I used was littered with chocolate chips, making it taste absolutely delicious.
The texture of this French toast was soft but not completely limp, with a crisp golden crust. A close second place. I couldn’t stop eating it!
Pain de mie
The pain de mie French toast had a lovely light but slightly sweet, mystic flavour. For some people, this would be their favourite bread for French toast. I prefer a bit more intensity in my food.
The texture of the pain de mie French toast was perfect. Soft, close-knit and held its shape well.
Ordinary white bread – Planche
This bread was from Carrefour, the biggest supermarket in France. It’s a 3-foot-long loaf, that looked amazing from the outside but tasted just like a sliced loaf from the UK.
Ordinary white bread makes French toast with a beautifully soft texture. It should be delicious, but it made it a little boring. The flavour was bland and boring too.
Pain de Campagne
I had high hopes for the pain de campagne. I love brown bread, and this sourdough loaf tasted amazing in the cheese and saucisson sec sandwiches I’d had the day before.
Sadly the crumb fell apart in the pan, making it unpleasant to eat. The flavour did not work either. It tasted like hazelnut egg!
The bread’s nutty flavour combined with the custard’s egg flavour makes a pretty bad taste.
What is the best bread for French toast?
An authentic French baguette is best for making French toast. Brioche is a close second, and I know many people love challah bread for their special eggy bread.
Pain de mie, or a Pullman loaf, makes excellent French toast too. All you need to do is bring the whipped cream!
What is the secret to making good French toast?
Use a firm bread that will soak up the egg and milk mixture without falling apart. Day-old brioche or a traditional baguette work well. Make sure you use fresh eggs with nice golden yolks to make your custard. it’ll taste much creamier and more delicious!
Frequently asked questions about making French toast
If you’ve enjoyed this article and wish to treat me to a coffee, you can by following the link below – Thanks x
Hi, I’m Gareth Busby, a baking coach, head baker and bread-baking fanatic! My aim is to use science, techniques and 15 years of baking experience to help you become a better baker.
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