Make-Ahead Cardamom French Toast (How To Make Bread Stale)

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Perfect for a lazy Sunday morning or a fantastic Christmas brunch, this make-ahead cardamom French toast (how to make bread stale) is a great casserole recipe to have. This French toast casserole is baked in a large 10×15 inch baking pan layering all the flavors of cardamom and cinnamon together. It all begins with stale bread. This article shows you the best ways to make your bread stale so it easily absorbs the cream and egg mixture to make the perfect French toast.

Cardamom and cream-soaked bread slices are gently layered in a deep dish and topped with coarse sugar. The French toast is baked until golden brown and served with fresh berries and a drizzle of maple syrup. The secret ingredient in many of my recipes is cardamom. It is earthy, minty, sweet, and smells divine. Read more about cardamom here.

This baked French toast recipe can easily be cut in half to make a smaller batch. You can make it right away by cooking the soaked bread in a hot large skillet or on a griddle (to make large batches of French toast). This is an excellent basic recipe that can be adapted to your needs with timing and flavor. 

The History Of French Toast

French toast is a dish made of bread soaked in eggs and milk, then pan-fried. It is a popular breakfast dish in many countries. The history of French toast is long and complicated. There are many different theories about its origin. Some believe that it originated in France, while others believe that it originated in Spain. There is also evidence that French toast was eaten in ancient Rome.

No matter where it originated, French toast became popular in Europe in the Middle Ages. It was often served as a way to use up stale bread. In the 17th century, French toast was brought to the Americas by French settlers. It quickly became a popular breakfast dish in the United States. Try these Belgian waffles for another breakfast treat.

Today, French toast is enjoyed all over the world. It can be made with a variety of breads, including brioche, challah, and French bread. It can also be made with a variety of toppings, including syrup, powdered sugar, and fruit.

Best Ways To Make Bread Stale

There are several ways to make stale bread, what I mean by stale is mostly dry (not moldy). Dried-out bread is the best thing to use to make the best-tasting French toast recipe because it will soak up all of the beautiful cream, egg, and spice mixture. 

Here are some techniques to achieve stale bread.

• Start with day-old bread that has been sitting out overnight on a wire rack or baking sheet. (my usual method)
• Bake bread slices in the oven on a baking sheet on low (300 degrees) until mostly dry- about 8-10 minutes
• Place bread in a toaster and lightly toast
• Dry bread in a toaster oven on low until dry

Bread Varieties For French Toast

You can use just about any bread to make homemade French toast. It is such a versatile dish for a delicious breakfast. Any fresh bread or leftover breads you choose will make amazing French toast. The best bread to use is what you have available. 

Here are some suggestions:

• White Sandwich Bread
• Norwegian Christmas Bread
• Challah Bread
• Homemade Bread
• Sourdough Bread
• Cinnamon Raisin Bread
• Brioche Bread
• Italian Bread
• French Bread

Ingredients For Make-Ahead Cardamom French Toast

This classic French toast recipe is the perfect weekend breakfast. Make as little or as much as you like. If you find that you don’t have enough of the cream mixture – just add more, maybe another egg. It all depends on if you use thick slices of bread or thin slices, and how dry they are to absorb the liquid. 

These are the basic ingredients I use to make this make-ahead cardamom French toast recipe.

• 20 slices of stale or dry bread
• 10 eggs
• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 4-5 cups of whole milk
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Instructions For Make-Ahead Cardamom French Toast

This make-ahead cardamom French toast is baked in a large baking pan (similar to bread pudding which uses bread cubes except the slices are whole). This recipe can be made right away by cooking the slices of bread in a hot skillet over medium heat with butter after soaking. This is a more traditional French toast and tastes delicious. However, make-ahead dishes are so convenient.

Here is how I do it:

1. Start with stale or dried bread slices. Mix all the ingredients (except the stale bread) in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. 

2. Let each slice of bread (stale or dry) soak for a few seconds on each side and then lay a single layer at one end of the pan. 

3. Continue with each slice and place the next layer covering half of the first layer and so on until the pan is full. Drizzle any remaining cream mixture over the bread.

4. Cover and let sit overnight in the refrigerator. 

The Next Day

5. The next day, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown.

6. Let cool slightly on a cooling rack, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve warm. 

Notes: 

-If there is not enough liquid just add another egg and a cup of milk or cream with a dash of cardamom and cinnamon. It is a very forgiving dish. I hardly ever measure. 

-You can also layer these in a single layer and bake, but you will need to reduce the bake time in the oven. You will have to find the sweet spot.

– The layers are thin so the bottom bakes evenly, you can cook this french toast casserole for longer if you want the bottom cooked more. Just cover the top with aluminum foil if it is getting too brown. 

Other Ingredients For Make-Ahead Cardamom French Toast

There are other dairy products that can be substituted for heavy cream such as half & half, whole milk, almond milk, oat milk, and full-fat coconut milk. 

Some other additions that would be delicious are:

• Orange zest
• Lemon zest
• Freshly ground nutmeg
• Pumpkin pie spice
• A small amount of brown sugar

What To Serve With Make-Ahead Cardamom French Toast

Serving French toast is the fun part! There are so many delicious treats that pair nicely with this dish. Get your real maple syrup ready!

Here are some good choices…

• Pat of butter
• Cream cheese
• Pure maple syrup 
• Nutella
• Peanut butter
• Chocolate sauce
• Caramel sauce
• Whipped cream
• Vanilla ice cream
• Fresh fruit like strawberries
• Cantaloupe
• Egg, sausage, and potato breakfast casserole
• Breakfast burritos
• Smoked Sausage
• Ham
• Bacon
• Sausage
• Fried potatoes
• Eggs

How To Store And Reheat Make-Ahead Cardamom French Toast

Store any leftover French toast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (I love these glass Pyrex storage containers).

To reheat:

• Stovetop method- Place a piece of French toast in a frying pan over medium-low heat and cook until hot flipping over to heat both sides. (Preferred way)
• Oven method- Heat oven to 325 degrees and heat until the desired temperature for about 10-15 minutes.
• Microwave method – Using a microwave-safe dish, heat the French toast for 30 seconds at 70% power and repeat until hot.

Wrapping Up Make-Ahead Cardamom French Toast

This make-ahead French toast is simply bread dipped in a mixture of eggs and cream (like an egg custard) mixed with the warm spices of cardamom and cinnamon. It is easy and delicious. Perfect for brunch during the holidays or make it in the morning to have breakfast for dinner. We love breakfast for dinner at our house. Sometimes when feeding a family of five you need to switch it up a bit and this recipe is always a hit. 

Warm slices of French toast drizzled in syrup are a great way to feed a crowd or your family. In France, they call it pain perdu which translates to “lost bread”. It shows how stale bread can be rescued and turned into a delicious meal. French toast is also known as gypsy toast, eggy bread, German toast, and Spanish toast.  

Cardamom French toast is perfect for any special occasion and also makes a great weekend breakfast. I hope you enjoy this make-ahead cardamom French toast (how to make bread stale) and stay inspired. 

Cheers, 

Sarah

Recipe Card For Make-Ahead Cardamom French Toast (How To Make Bread Stale)

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Make-Ahead Cardamom French Toast (How To Make Bread Stale)

This delicious French toast is an easy make-ahead dish. Slices of bread are dipped in a velvity cream and egg mixture seasoned with cardamom and cinnamon.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:6 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Total Time:50 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 20 slices of bread
• 10 eggs
• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 4-5 cups of whole milk
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

• Begin the night before. Mix all the ingredients (except the bread) in a large bowl and whisk until combined.
• Let each slice of bread soak for a few seconds on each side and then lay a single layer at one end of the pan.
• Continue with each slice and place the next layer covering half of the first layer and so on until the pan is full. Drizzle any remaining cream mixture over the bread.
• Cover and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Uncover and bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
• Let cool slightly on a cooling rack, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve warm.

Notes

See the full article for how to make your bread stale.

If there is not enough liquid just add another egg and a cup of milk or cream with a dash of cardamom and cinnamon. It is a very forgiving dish. I hardly ever measure. 

You can also layer these in a single layer and bake, but you will need to reduce the bake time in the oven. You will have to find the sweet spot.

The layers are thin so the bottom bakes evenly, you can cook this french toast casserole for longer if you want the bottom cooked more. Just cover the top with aluminum foil if it is getting too brown. 

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Breakfast, Brunch, French toast, toast

Servings: 8 people

Author: Sarah