Country Sourdough French Toast - Country Recipe Book (2024)

FAQs

What is country sourdough made of? ›

This sourdough country loaf recipe produces a slightly open, even crumb with a mildly sour flavor. The recipe combines whole wheat flour with bread flour for a delicious loaf that you will enjoy in a wide variety of ways. Perfect for toast, dipping in soups, sandwiches and more!

Bread: I recommend using thick sliced bread, like Sara Lee Artesano, Texas Toast, or leftover homemade bread. It's nice (but not necessary) if the bread is a few days old, or slightly stale. We also loving using thick slices of cinnamon bread or brioche!

If the fermentation is off, your dough will not have adequate reducing sugars to achieve a dark, rich sourdough crust. You might notice that if your dough is under fermented, no amount of extended cooking time will make your sourdough brown up. The sugars necessary for the crust to darken just aren't there.

Pain de campagne ("country bread" in French), also called "French sourdough", is typically a large round loaf ("miche") made from either natural leavening or baker's yeast.

According to some studies, sourdough bread acts as a prebiotic, which means that the fiber in the bread helps feed the “good” bacteria in your intestines. These bacteria are important for maintaining a stable, healthy digestive system. Sourdough is also lower in gluten than other forms 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.

Ideally, the bread should be slightly stale. A drier bread will soak up all the custard. Bread can be left out with the wrapper open the day before cooking. If you find yourself in a pinch, dry your bread slices in a 275°F oven for 10 minutes before soaking them in the custard.

Look for bread that is labeled “hearty,” “thick-cut,” or “Texas toast.” Thin slices are more likely to collapse when soaked. You can also opt for a pullman loaf and slice the bread yourself to your desired thickness. Sliced wheat bread also makes good French toast, but might require a little extra soaking time.

Sourdough Loaf Makes the Best French Toast Casserole

You see, Not only does sourdough's hearty, chewy texture stand up really well to soaking, but it also works well fresh, so you don't have to wait for it to dry out. And that means less planning or extra steps.

If you over-ferment the dough you run the risk of the gluten structure degrading and the loaf turning into a puddle of goo before your eyes, never to be retrieved and destined for the bin.

Why does sourdough turn black? ›

It's actually quite difficult to kill sourdough starter. And that black stuff isn't harmful, either — it's perfectly safe. The inky liquid is simply telling you the starter is hungry. After 8 weeks in the refrigerator without being fed, what began as a happy, healthy starter (l) was hungry and hooch-topped (r).

To achieve that crispy golden crust you want all that steam that comes out of the bread when it hits the hot oven to shoot up at the top of the dutch oven, hit the surface, and come right back down. It also helps your bread cook more evenly since you are essentially baking it in an oven, within an oven.

Country sourdough vegan bread made with white flour, water, salt and 20% whole wheat flour, contains no sugar or yeast and is fermented naturally for 48 hours. Country sourdough is perfect for sandwiches and toasts.

“The whole-grain sourdoughs have more fiber, protein and micronutrients, making them more filling and healthier for you overall,” says Natalie Rizzo, registered dietitian and nutrition editor at TODAY.com.

Sourdough bread contains higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than other breads. It also contains lower levels of phytate and therefore allows your body to absorb the nutrients it contains more easily than those in regular bread.

Traditional sourdough undergoes a slow fermentation, the result of which is an increase in the bioavailability of the bread's vitamins and minerals.