French toast is possibly one of the most amazing and decadent foods to have for breakfast or brunch. I am a fan of eating it at any meal, to be quite honest. I would say that based on taste, there is not one specific best bread for French toast. However, there is some pretty amazing bread to choose from to find the best bread for French toast.
When looking for the best bread for French toast, you need to find a bread that is durable. The egg custard will destroy any old flimsy bread, which is why you need to find a good, hardy bread. All of these types of bread made the list because they are thick, strong, and can hold up to the custard and cooking process.
Brioche
The classic. The go-to. The almighty bread for French toast. Almost anywhere you go, brioche will be the choice of bread for the French toast you ordered. What makes brioche the best of the best is that it is so thick. Brioche can soak up the custard but still hold its shape when being cooked. Once it is done, brioche will be nicely browned and cooked on the outside but the inside will be wonderfully delicate and hold the flavor of the custard.
Challah
Challah is the sister to brioche. Many people know it for its braided appearance. Challah is great if you want a more buttery taste to your French toast (fun fact: though it has a buttery taste, challah is commonly made without any dairy products). With challah's thick, egg-based texture, it can retain its shape after being dunked in the custard and griddles up nicely while still having the same creamy inside as brioche.
Stale Bread
Stale bread may not be able to provide the same amount of decadence as challah or brioche, but chances are you have some stale (or at least older) bread that you want to use instead of throwing out. Stale bread will not be able to soak up as much custard, thus making the French toast less creamy in comparison to challah or brioche bread. However, with some good butter, syrup, powdered sugar, and cinnamon, there is no reason why stale bread cannot be a satisfactory French toast bread.
#SpoonTip: If you are using pre-sliced stale sandwich bread, be sure to not leave it in the custard too long, as it could fall apart if it starts to absorb the custard. One quick dunk is all you need.
So what is the best bread for French toast? It is truly up to you! Just keep in mind that there are some basic standards when choosing. The bread needs to be in thicker slices and sturdier in crumb, because if the bread is too thin, holey, and frail, it could fall apart once dipped in the custard. Whether you are a classic brioche fan or like the buttery, eggy braids of challah, you now know what to make for a bomb brunch, so go #treatyoself.