For Easy, Fruity, Filled French Toast, Start With A Jelly Donut

When you hear jelly donut French toast, your first thought might be to run to Tim Hortons or Krispy Kreme for the ingredients. But it's not that literal, and you probably already have the ingredients you need — bread, jam or jelly, and the egg mixture you would normally use to make French toast. If you don't have a staple French toast recipe, try one of ours.

Essentially you want to end up with bread that has jam sandwiched in its center. There are a couple of ways to go about this. With a thick, soft bread, like a brioche, you can actually stuff it. Start by cutting slices that are about an inch and a half thick. Carefully take a small, sharp knife, and at the bottom crust, start slicing halfway through. Imagine you're creating a pocket by not cutting all the way through. Then pipe your jelly or jam of choice into the middle core you've made. If you don't have a piping bag, just use a plastic sandwich bag with the corner nipped off.

An easier method: Take two pieces of thinly sliced bread, spread jam in the middle of one piece, and top it with the other. You don't want to get your jam too close to the edge, or it will ooze out. But don't be stingy. Measure with your heart. And then proceed to prepare your jelly stuffed goodies as you normally would French toast, from egg wash to the frying pan.

If this is the first foray into French toast adventures, oh, the places you can go. And you'll be surprised how many ways there are to jazz up this crowd favorite of breakfast dishes with just a few simple ingredients. One of the most common additions people add to their French toast is fresh fruit. With some plump, juicy berries and a dusting of powdered sugar, you can immediately elevate this simple dish.

Something you may have never considered before, but also something that reaps big rewards with little fuss, is mixing up the spices you add to your egg mixture. A little vanilla and a dash of cinnamon are common. But what about some pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cloves? Can you imagine that savory flavor combination with some fresh maple syrup? Take it one step further and whip up a cream cheese drizzle. The mouthwatering possibilities are seemingly endless.

Don't worry, though; if you want more donut options for French toast, there are actually quite a few ways to incorporate real donuts into your recipe! There are also a plethora of breads to experiment with — Japanese milk bread, sourdough, even baguettes. The flavors and textures of different breads can only add more dimension to your toast feast. Think of the possibility slices of loaf cake offer. Imagine a holiday panettone French toast breakfast! You may never go back to plain French toast again.