While at the farmer’s market yesterday, I spotted a gorgeous loaf of fresh French bread.
Although this recipe contradicts my goals for Lent, the beautiful, crusty, soft French bread was screaming out to me. It was screaming, “stuff me!”
So that’s just what I did.
Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
This recipe, from Tasty Kitchen, has been on my Recipe Wish List since last Spring. It was due time to finally make this decadent breakfast.
French bread, strawberries, milk, butter, cinnamon, cream cheese, strawberry jam and eggs.
First thing, slice the bread into thick, 1.5-2 inch slices.
Next, slice a pocket into the middle of each slice of bread. Be careful not to cut through the sides or bottom.
Set the sliced bread aside and begin to chop about 1 cup of strawberries.
Sprinkle the berries with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Stir to combine then set aside.
Next up, place cream cheese and strawberry jam together in a bowl.
Give the two a good stir to combine into a creamy mixture.
To make stuffing the bread a little easier, I combined the strawberries and cream cheese mixture.
It’s stuffing time!
Carefully spoon 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry cream cheese mixture into each slice of bread.
Give each stuffed slice a little squeeze to seal the opening.
Oh the potential!
Once the bread is ready and waiting, it’s time to make the egg mixture. Since I was using the whole loaf of bread, I added an extra egg along with the 1/2 cup milk and tablespoon of cinnamon.
Just beat it.
Only coat as many slices at one time as can fit in your frying pan.
After about 20 seconds, flip the bread to coat the other side.
Melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat.
Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Flip to cook the other side. I stuffed a couple of slices with plain strawberries. This was also good, but not as good as the cream cheese stuffing.
Dust the cooked French toast with powdered sugar and a fresh strawberry before serving.
Devour.
Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
Adapted from tastykitchen
Ingredients
1 loaf French bread
1 cup fresh strawberries, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon sugar
3 Tablespoons strawberry jam
1 package cream cheese (4 Oz), at room temperature
3 whole eggs
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
½ cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter
Method
- Cut the French bread into 1/5-2 inch slices. Carefully cut a pocket into the middle of each slice being careful not to cut the sides or bottom. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the strawberries and sugar then set aside. Cream together the cream cheese and strawberry jam then add this mixture to the fresh strawberries. Fold to incorporate.
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry mixture into the pocket of each slice of bread. Gently squeeze together the opening to seal the mixture inside. Set aside.
- In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the milk, eggs and cinnamon until well combined. Place 2-3 slices of stuffed bread into the batter at a time. Be sure to only coat as much bread as can fit into your frying pan at a time. Let each side sit in the batter for 20 seconds before flipping to coat the other side.
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a non-stick grying pan over medium high heat. When hot, place the egg coated bread into the frying pan and cook each side until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Upon cooking each batch, add another 1/2 tablespoon of butter.
- Dust the cooked French toast with powdered sugar and top with fresh strawberries to garnish.
Sunday morning brunch just got better.
