I have to admit, I do not have a sweet tooth.
But when it comes to french toast, there is no doubt I will eat the whole plate in front of me.
Something about the way the bread caramelizes in the pan and softens with the egg. Drenched with maple syrup…amazing.
If you know me, you know I have a serious obsession with maple syrup. It’s probably the one ingredient in my kitchen I can’t live without. And after yesterdays Strawberry Jam Swirled Challah, I knew I had to make french toast with the leftovers.
I knew my husband would be ecstatic since he has a deep obsession with all things breakfast pastries. That man was raised with a ton of amazing food from his mother, who is an incredible cook. Whenever we go out for breakfast he is always the first at the table to order a pile of pancakes or sugary french toast.
I had some strawberry jam left over from yesterdays post so I decided to add that to the whipped cream cheese filling. This was a fantastic decision as the filling was the perfect balance of sweet from the jam and savory from the cream cheese. I added a pinch of salt to compliment both flavors and when added to the center of the french toasts, it gets all warm and fluffy. The best!
To simplify the process, I dump all of the strawberry whipped cream cheese filling ingredients into the bowl of my KitchenAid Stand Mixer while I prep the French toast egg soak. It’s a simple mix of eggs, heavy whipping cream, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. That’s it! Then I take the leftover challah and slice it into 1 1/2-2 inch slices, with a sliver down the center for stuffing with the cream.
If you didn’t make the Strawberry Jam Swirled Challah, don’t panic! This will work with any type of bread you have in your house. Or if you plan on going to the store, store bought Challah works just fine. You can also sub out for store bought Brioche which is similar in texture but just with butter so it adds an extra flavor boost to your French toasts.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast
Ingredients
Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam
- 1 tsp vanilla
Stuffed French Toast
- Challah cut into 1 1/2 inch slices, (sub brioche)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Start by making the whipped strawberry cream cheese filling. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and whip on medium-high until stiff peaks form. About 3 minutes.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
- Using a pairing knife, slice each piece of challah down the center 3/4 of the way to the bottom to create pockets in each piece for the filling. Stuff about 1-2 tablespoons of whipped strawberry cream cheese filling in the center of the bread pieces. The more filling the more messy they will be but that is perfectly fine!
- When ready to cook the french toasts, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Butter the pan so it is generously coated in butter. Dip each stuffed french toast in the egg mixture and flip it around to coat all sides. Place in the pan and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the bread avoiding overcrowding the pan.
- When cooked, top the french toast with more strawberry cream cheese filling, syrup, extra strawberry jam, Nutella or any amazing topping you have lying around.
