Do you have to dry the bread to make French Toast

While I dry bread for bread pudding, I do not for French Toast. It is much faster not to as the bread does not soak nearly as long depending upon the freshness or staleness of the bread.

Where did the original French Toast come from?

Recipes from the early 5th century AD include instructions for what is now called French Toast.They show Pan Dulcis ,their name for it was eaten in the age of the Roman Empire. They too would soak bread in a milk and egg mixture and fry it in oil.

What is the best bread for French Toast

Any firm bread will work. Some of the best breads are Brioche and Challah both egg and butter rich doughs with firm textures.

How should French Toast be stored

It can be held briefly if all of it cannot be fried at once by keeping it in an oven set on the lowest heat or in a warming drawer. Should some be left, wrap well in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. To reheat: Wrap individual servings in paper towels and microwave briefly. Any leftover sauce can be reheated briefly and served with toast or if sauce is leftover without the toast it is delicious on pound cake or ice cream.

Stuffed Cinnamon French Toast & Orange Sauce

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Okay, Okay, I know Cinnamon Stuffed French Toast isn't the usual offering on Shrove Tuesday, and you definitely can't run with them but they are a great alternative so I'm offering them for your consideration.

Two pieces of cinnamon bread filled with an orange cream stuffing are dredged in an egg mixture with a few additions to spark it up.

Cinnamon French Toast with Berries in an Orange Sauce

Although I use a round cinnamon bread, any will do. Lightly sweetened cream cheese highlighted with a bit of orange zest accentuates the sauce is an easy embellishment to plain French Toast.

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The Orange Cream Sauce is the same one I use for my Crepes Suzette except I omit the cream for those. This recipe comes together quickly and should be served warm.

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Why This Recipe Works
Recipe Ingredients
Soaking Mixture
Variations
Step by Step Instruction
Stuffing the French Toast
Egg Mixture
Recipe FAQS
Expert Tips
Stuffed Cinnamon French Toast and Orange Sauce

Why This Recipe Works

The French Toast can be stuffed and kept, well wrapped in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
The Orange Cream Sauce can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated.
The egg mixture goes together really fast.
These can be kept warm in an oven set to the lowest temperature or a warming drawer.
With the holidays around the corner, this Stuffed Cinnamon French Toast with Orange Cream Sauce is perfect for a brunch.
For this Stuffed Cinnamon French toast you can use any cinnamon bread, but Dierberg's in St. Louis has a great round cinnamon bread that I used for mine. I actually thought of making the French toast with croissants but when I went shopping, I found this charming cinnamon bread and instantly changed my mind. Lightly sweetened cream cheese highlighted with a bit of orange zest to accentuate the sauce is an easy embellishment to plain French Toast.

Recipe Ingredients

Stuffing

Ingredients for filling the cinnamon bread are powdered sugar, cream cheese and orange zest

Left to Right: Powdered Sugar, orange zest, cream cheese

Soaking Mixture

Egg mixture ingredient include cinnamon bread,milk,vanilla, sugar and eggs in a bowl.

BACK ROW: Cinnamon Bread, milk

FRONT ROW: Vanilla, sugar, eggs

Orange Cream Sauce

Ingredients to make the sauce include orange juice, butter, lemon juice, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, red raspberries, cream, cornstarch, brandy, orange liqueur

All photos are left to right.

FRONT ROW: Orange Liqueur

SECOND ROW: Cream , cornstarch, brandy, red raspberrries

THIRD ROW: Lemon Juice, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries

BACK ROW: Orange juice, butter, granulated sugar

Variations

Any fruit of your choice can be substituted.
Breads such as Brioche or Challah can be substituted. Just add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the egg mixture.
Nuts of your choice can be added to the fruit sauce if desired.
The liqueur and brandy can be omitted if desired.

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

Step by Step Instruction

Orange Cream Sauce

The butter has been melted in a saucepan.

Step 1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.

Sugar, orange juice and lemon juice are added to the melted butter.

Step 2. Add the sugar, orange and lemon juice; bring to a boil and boil hard for 3 to 4 minutes until somewhat thickened.

The sauce is boiling really hard with large bubbles covering the entire pot.

Step 3. The pot should be boiling hard and covered with bubbles.

Orange liqueur and brandy being poured into the pan with the boiling syrup.

Step 4. Combine the orange liqueur and brandy and pour it into the boiling sauce. Boil another 2 or 3 minutes to return the sauce to it's former thickness.

The cornstarch and cream to be combined before adding to the sauce.

Step 5. Whisk together the cornstarch and cream before adding it to the syrup.

Adding the cornstarch and cream mixture to the sauce that is boiling in the pan.

Step 6. Pour the cornstarch/cream mixture into the boiling sauce. Immediately start stirring constantly, bring back to a boil and cook for several minutes until thickened a bit more. Cool.