Overnight Caramel French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

Why is my overnight French toast soggy? ›

It could be because of the bread you used. If the bread you start with is too soft (such as white sandwich bread), it won't absorb all of the wonderful custard that it should, and it might end up soggy. If you find yourself with a soggy casserole, for whatever reason, try baking it a bit longer until it firms up some.

Oven-drying of cut slices — super-lightly toasting it — works best of all, but in a pinch, you could also cut the bread the night before and let it sit on a cooling rack until morning, or simply lightly toast in the toaster. The key is to dry the outside while leaving the inside moist.

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.

The secret ingredient in this fluffy French toast recipe: all-purpose flour! Flour binds the liquids together, which creates a more traditional “batter” and helps prevent soggy results. This extra ingredient ensures the French toast is crispy on the outside, but soft and fluffy on the inside.

There are several possible reasons for soggy French toast. The first is using fresh bread, which soaks up too much of the egg mixture and doesn't cook through, remaining eggy and soggy in the middle. Leaving the bread in the egg mixture for too long is another route to soggy French toast.

Overnight French toast is very similar in flavor to a classic stovetop French toast, but instead of individually soaking the bread slices in the egg/milk mixture, then frying them on the stove, you layer the bread into a casserole dish, pour the egg/milk mixture over the top and refrigerate it overnight.

There are times to only reach for a cooking oil like grapeseed, but this isn't one of them. Butter gives French toast a deep richness and comforting quality, which are what we crave on mornings we sizzle this breakfast staple.

Use stale bread or toast the bread until it's golden-brown. It needs to be sturdy to hold up to the egg mixture. If the bread is fresh from the bag or you toast it too lightly, the finished dish will be soggy. Soak the toasted or untoasted bread for about 10 seconds per side to achieve the optimal texture.

Notes On Ingredients

You also want your bread to be slightly dried out, as this allows more egg custard can be absorbed, so it is best to use day-old bread if you have it. Half and Half: Half and half is perfect for creating a rich, creamy French toast.

"You know when your French toast is done when the center is set and doesn't have a runny consistency once cut," Oliveira says. If you're cooking a thinner French toast or omitted eggs from your soaking liquid, a quick pan-fry will do the trick, with 3 to 6 minutes on each side.

Why is my French toast not cooking all the way through? ›

Because you're cooking it with the Heat on too high. Pancakes should be done on medium-high heat, about 375. French toast needs to be set much lower, like eggs, about 325. This allows for the heat to penetrate through the thickness of the bread and cook the egg mixture all the way throug...

Try adding cream instead of milk

The milk also prevents the French toast from becoming too rubbery since the protein in the egg can quickly solidify and cause the toast to develop a rubbery barrier.

For storage, slip the loaf into a paper bag. Fold over the top of the bag a time or two to seal in moisture. Stored this way, the crust will soften a bit, but it will still be enjoyable to eat for a day or two.

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.

The first is using fresh bread, which soaks up too much of the egg mixture and doesn't cook through, remaining eggy and soggy in the middle. Leaving the bread in the egg mixture for too long is another route to soggy French toast.

The ideal French toast is browned and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. It is not dry and it is not soggy.