Baked French Toast (easy overnight recipe) - Celebrating Sweets (2024)

FAQs

Should French toast be soaked overnight? ›

Start with dry bread.

Dry bread is primed for soaking up that creamy custard. You can either leave it out overnight or do what I do and toast it in the oven. Lightly press the bread into the custard to make sure it absorbs evenly. Don't stress if the bread is a bit drier on the top.

If the pan isn't hot enough when you put your first slice in, the custard spreads out, forming a "foot" on the bottom of the French toast. When the pan is hot enough, the batter won't have time to seep; the custard will start cooking as soon as it hits the pan. Give the pan a light coating of neutral oil and butter.

Ideally it's best if you can soak the bread in the french toast batter overnight however, if this cannot be done I suggest leaving it soak for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour. As we want that custard like middle, cut very thick slices of bread.

For French toast, the amount of ingredients can make all the difference in the finished product. Too much, says Bon Appetit, could turn your bread into a soggy mess. The same could happen if you measure out a bit too much dairy.

Your perfect companion for making French toast is a non-stick frying pan. CRISTEL® has an exceptional selection of non-stick frying pans with removable handles that are great for both pan-frying and also oven-cooking.

Leaving the bread in the egg mixture for too long is another route to soggy French toast. You want the bread to soak up the egg mixture, but you don't want it to become sodden before you cook it.

A creamy custard is the key to incredible French toast, so skip the watery skim milk and go for whole milk or half-and-half. Straight heavy cream turns French toast into dessert, so lean that way if you're looking for decadence.

Cooking it low and slow lets the bread soak up even more flavor. Stuffed French Toast: Chocolate, fruit, cream cheese or savory ingredients can all be stuffed inside French toast for extra flavor.

If the balance is off and you include too many eggs or not enough milk, the finished French toast will have a scrambled egg-like flavor. When scaling this recipe up or down, keep in mind that you need 1/4 cup of milk for every egg.

Griddle or bake it

This allows you to sear the French toast without burning it, while ensuring it's fully cooked in the center. "You know when your French toast is done when the center is set and doesn't have a runny consistency once cut," Oliveira says.

How to make French toast serious eats? ›

Soak 2 slices of bread in egg bath, turning, until saturated. Add soaked bread to skillet and cook, swirling occasionally, until browned on bottom side, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle top side of bread with sugar, flip, and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer.

You don't want to turn your griddle heat up too high- the outsides will burn and the inside will be soggy. You don't want to use too much milk. Your batter should be more egg-y than milk-y if you want non-soggy toast.

How can you store fresh bread and rolls so they stay soft for as long as possible? Resealable plastic bag: A resealable plastic bag seals in moisture and locks out air, keeping your bread soft.

Expert Tips. Be sure to wrap the casserole dish tightly before putting it in the refrigerator to sit overnight. You don't want to risk drying it out by letting air escape. Take your French toast up a notch by topping in whipped cream and fresh cut berries.

A toast rack is the perfect way to do this, but you can also just prop the slices against each other like a little tent. You may also consider wrapping your deli-meats and any salad items separately and only adding them to your sandwich when you are ready to eat.