French toast is not a new invention. It’s been around since ancient Rome, but throughout the centuries, the type of bread that goes into making it has evolved. Sandwich bread and brioche are two go-to ingredients for this breakfast and brunch favorite, but if you really want to upgrade your French toast and turn it into a conversation starter, use biscuits. Biscuits are buttery, fluffy, and flaky and an unpredictable bread choice for this dish, but they will change the taste and texture of your French bread in all the right ways.
First, it is worth noting biscuits should never be dense. If they are, you’ve used too much flour; however, they are denser than other breads, so the way they absorb the custard-like mixture of milk, egg, and whatever flavors and seasonings you might add, is a little different. For instance, if you bake biscuits from scratch or from a convenience dough in a can like Pillsbury, your French toast biscuits will have a crunchy exterior and a soft, tender inside. You may want to split them in half to allow that egg and milk bath to penetrate a little deeper. It might taste a little like a cross between French toast and bread pudding, but the end result is guaranteed to be absolutely delicious.
Turn French toast biscuits into a casserole
If you prefer more of a casserole-style French toast, biscuits are going to transform this brunch favorite into a truly bread pudding-esque French toast — rich and creamy. There are two ways to prepare this recipe. You can start with a tube of uncooked biscuits and allow them to cook and puff up with the custard mix, allowing it to be soaked up by the biscuits as they cook, resulting in a softer inside and crispy exterior. This is a great way to make canned biscuits taste like they’re made from scratch. You can also use day-old biscuits for this treat. Biscuits that have dried out ever so slightly are less likely to get soggy when dipped in the egg and milk. This is the perfect use for this leftover.
To really make this bread swap shine, fry your biscuits in brown butter for a nutty taste, or save that bacon grease and use it instead. Bacon grease will create more of a savory-tasting French toast. You can even use a biscuit to create a Monte Cristo sandwich and give it more of a French toast breakfast sandwich vibe. Top your biscuit French toast with fruit or a compote, drizzle some chocolate over it, and finish it off with a dollop of whipped cream.
