Generally you want any type of bread you are using for French toast to be slightly stale. This is because really fresh bread tends to soak up the custard batter that it is dipped in, which can lead to soggy French toast. If you have a fresh loaf of bread, you can help dry it out a bit in a few ways: I like to simply open the package and set the bread out on a wire rack and let the air do it’s job for 30-60 minutes. You can work on prepping the rest of your recipe while you do this. You can expedite the process by placing slices of the bread on a baking sheet and place it in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes.