When it comes to making French toast, two of the most popular bread choices are challah and brioche. Both breads are rich, eggy, and have a tender crumb that soaks up custard beautifully. However, they aren’t exactly the same. Here’s a look at the differences between challah and brioche and whether one makes better French toast than the other.
The Main Differences Between Challah and Brioche
While challah and brioche share some similarities, there are a few key differences between the two breads:
- Flour: Challah is made with bread flour or all-purpose flour, while brioche uses a high percentage of bread flour or all-purpose flour plus cake flour.
- Eggs: Brioche contains more eggs compared to challah. A basic challah may have 1-2 eggs per loaf, but brioche can have 3 eggs or more per loaf.
- Fat: Brioche has a higher fat content from ingredients like butter or milk. Challah typically only contains small amounts of oil or butter.
- Sweetness: Brioche is slightly sweet from added sugar or honey. Traditional challah does not contain sugar or honey.
- Process: Challah does not require an overnight rest while brioche needs to rest for 12-24 hours for best flavor.
- Shape: Challah is braided while brioche is most often baked in a loaf pan.
So in summary, brioche is richer, more tender and buttery, and slightly sweet compared to challah. Challah has a more even bread-like crumb and flavor.
Challah for French Toast
Here’s a closer look at how challah performs for making French toast:
- Texture: Challah has a soft, fine crumb that soaks up custard well. The interior stays tender when cooked.
- Eggs: While challah contains fewer eggs than brioche, it still provides richness and moisture.
- Shape: Braided challah gives French toast fun rippled edges when sliced.
- Flavor: Challah has a neutral yeasty, bread-like taste that works with both savory and sweet French toast.
- Availability: Challah can be found easily in most grocery stores year-round.
A few tips for using challah for French toast:
- Look for a challah with a soft, tender crumb vs. a dense or dry interior.
- Challah sliced 1-inch thick works well to soak up plenty of custard.
- Allow the sliced challah to sit in the custard mixture for a few minutes before cooking.
- Cook over medium-low heat until deeply browned on both sides.
- Serve with desired sweet or savory toppings like fruit, syrup, or bacon.
Brioche for French Toast
Here are some benefits of using brioche loaf bread for French toast:
- Richness: The high butter and egg content gives brioche French toast incredible richness and moisture.
- Custard Absorption: The tender, porous crumb readily soaks up and retains custard.
- Toasting Quality: Brioche develops a beautifully crisp, golden crust yet stays soft inside.
- Flavor: Brioche has a subtle sweetness that pairs perfectly with sweet toppings.
- Appearance: Brioche makes for an impressively thick, fluffy slice of French toast.
Tips for using brioche for French toast:
- Look for a soft, light brioche loaf without large air holes in the crumb.
- Cut brioche into 3⁄4 to 1-inch slices for best proportions.
- Allow it to soak up plenty of custard for 5-10 minutes before cooking.
- Cook over low to medium-low heat to prevent burning.
- Add extra butter to the pan for cooking for even more richness.
Challah vs. Brioche French Toast
When comparing challah and brioche French toast, there are some noticeable differences:
| Challah French Toast | Brioche French Toast |
|---|---|
| Neutral yeasty flavor | Rich, subtly sweet flavor |
| Soft, tender crumb | Ultra soft, moist, tender crumb |
| Browned exterior with tender interior | Crisp, caramelized exterior with soft interior |
| Requires a shorter soaking time | Requires a longer soak time for moisture to penetrate |
| Holds shape well when cooked | Can be more delicate when cooked |
| Good for savory or sweet toppings | Best complemented by sweet toppings |
While brioche makes an incredibly rich, decadent French toast, challah is the clear winner when it comes to accessibility and versatility. Here are some reasons why challah has an advantage over brioche:
- Challah is far easier to source than brioche. It’s readily available at grocery stores.
- Challah is more affordable than most artisan brioche loaves.
- The flavor of challah works well with sweet and savory French toast toppings.
- Challah holds its shape nicely during cooking without becoming too delicate.
- Challah has a soft, tender crumb whether it’s fresh or a day old.
- You can control the richness level in challah French toast by the custard recipe.
However, buttery brioche does make an incredible indulgent weekend treat. So consider keeping some in the freezer for those special occasion breakfasts and brunches.
How to Make French Toast with Challah
Making challah French toast is easy and delicious. Here is a basic recipe and method:
Ingredients
- 1 loaf challah bread
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1⁄4 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- Butter for cooking
Instructions
- Slice the challah into 1-inch thick slices and set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until blended.
- Soak the bread slices in the custard mixture, flipping to coat both sides evenly.
- Let soak for 2-5 minutes, until the bread absorbs some of the custard.
- Melt butter in a skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
- Cook the soaked bread slices in batches until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Serve warm with desired toppings like powdered sugar, maple syrup, fresh fruit, or whipped cream.
For richer challah French toast, use equal parts milk and cream for the custard. Flavor it with extras like orange zest, liqueurs, or nutmeg. The soft, supple texture of challah absorbs custard beautifully while providing enough structure to still hold its shape when cooked. It’s a fantastic choice for easy yet decadent French toast.
How to Make French Toast with Brioche
Buttery, eggy brioche also shines when made into French toast. Here is a foolproof brioche French toast recipe.
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 slices brioche bread (3⁄4 to 1-inch thick)
- 5 large eggs
- 1 1⁄4 cups whole milk
- 1 1⁄4 cups heavy cream
- 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1⁄4 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- Butter for cooking
Instructions
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a shallow baking dish or bowl.
- Add the brioche slices and let soak 10-15 minutes, gently pressing the bread down to absorb the custard.
- Melt several tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- Cook the soaked brioche slices in batches until deep golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Serve the French toast warm with desired toppings like fresh berries, maple syrup, or whipped cream.
The high ratio of cream to milk makes an exceptionally rich, creamy custard that complements the buttery brioche perfectly. Letting the slices soak for 10-15 minutes allows time for the custard to fully penetrate the interior. Cook slowly over medium-low heat to ensure the interior cooks through without burning the outside. Brioche makes stunning French toast, but requires a little more effort than everyday challah.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is challah sweeter than brioche?
No, challah is not sweeter than brioche. Brioche contains added sugar, honey, or syrups to give it a sweet flavor. Challah does not contain added sugars and gets its subtle sweetness from the yeast fermentation.
Can you use challah instead of brioche?
Yes, you can substitute challah for brioche in most recipes. Challah makes an excellent stand-in when you want great flavor and texture but don’t have access to brioche. The main difference is challah will not be as rich and buttery as brioche.
Is challah better than brioche for French toast?
It’s hard to declare one as better, since both make wonderful French toast. Brioche makes an indulgently rich, almost dessert-like French toast. Challah provides great flavor and texture while being easier to source and more budget-friendly. For an everyday easy French toast, challah may have a slight advantage.
Should you use thick or thin slices of bread for French toast?
Thicker slices of bread in the 1 to 1 1⁄2 inch range tend to work best for French toast. Thin slices over-crisp and dry out too quickly. Thick slices have a nice balance of custardy interior and crisped exterior. They also have more structural integrity for dipping in custard and flipping during cooking.
Is day old bread better for French toast?
Yes, using day old bread (or even 2-3 day old bread) is ideal for French toast. As bread stale slightly, it is able to absorb more liquid. This allows the custard to fully permeate the slices. Very fresh bread may not soak up enough custard. Brioche, in particular, benefits from being a day or two old before using in French toast.
How long should you soak bread in custard for French toast?
Most breads need anywhere from 5-15 minutes of soaking time. Thicker breads, quick breads, and very stale bread require more time on the longer end. Delicate breads like brioche need less time so they don’t get too soggy. As a general rule, allow at least 5 minutes for thinner breads and 10 minutes or more for thicker breads.
What is the best custard recipe for French toast?
The classic basic custard is equal parts eggs, milk, and cream or half-and-half. For 4 servings, 4 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 cup cream is perfect. Feel free to add flavorings like cinnamon, vanilla, citrus zest, or liqueurs. For ultra-decadent French toast, use all heavy cream. For lighter French toast, use all milk.
Should you add sugar to French toast custard?
Adding a small amount of sugar (1-4 tablespoons) can enhance the flavor of the custard. However, it’s not essential, especially if using sweeter breads like brioche. Maple syrup, powdered sugar, fruit toppings will provide sweetness, so sugar in the custard is optional.
Conclusion
While both challah and brioche make wonderful bases for French toast, challah has the advantage for everyday use. It provides great texture and flavor while being more widely available and budget-friendly. Brioche certainly shines for creating an incredibly rich, indulgent French toast but requires more effort to source and prepare. For most quick breakfasts and brunches, trusty challah is the clear choice over fancy brioche.
However, don’t let that stop you from trying brioche French toast for a special occasion. Its decadence can’t be beat. Whichever bread you choose, soak it well in a generously seasoned custard and cook slowly for the perfect French toast every time.