Too Much Liquid: Using too much custard (egg and milk mixture) overwhelms the bread, making the dish soggy instead of fluffy.
Wrong Bread Choice: Soft breads like sandwich slices break down quickly. Use sturdy, dense breads like brioche, challah, or French bread.
Fresh Bread Fails: Fresh bread holds too much moisture. Day-old or slightly stale bread soaks up custard better without turning mushy.
Poor Soaking Technique: If bread isn’t soaked long enough, the inside stays dry. Too long, and it becomes a soggy mess. Aim for 15–30 minutes or overnight if refrigerated.
Unbalanced Egg-to-Milk Ratio: Too much milk makes it watery, too many eggs and it becomes rubbery. A good ratio is about 1 egg per ½ cup of milk.
Underbaking: Pulling it out too early leaves a gooey, raw center. Make sure the middle is set and edges are golden.
Skipping the Rest Time: Let it sit after baking for at least 10 minutes. This helps it firm up before slicing.
No Crunch Factor: Topping with nuts, streusel, or sugar before baking adds texture — key to avoiding a one-note flop.