Even though it has been almost a month since I've posted here, I haven't
given up on the writing. In fact, I've been so busy cooking and trying new recipes that it's left me little time to
actually post them online. I've done a tapas dinner (coming soon), a dinner party that featured pork tenderloin with
brandy-mushroom cream sauce and even a couple elegant breakfasts, including a salmon and asparagus frittata and one of my
new favorites, Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast.
Obviously I didn't invent the dish, but in an attempt to make a creative
and tasty breakfast one Sunday morning, I borrowed a page from the former Sugar Magnolia restaurant (in New Orleans) to make
one of their most popular brunch dishes, Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry Coulis. After a couple of
calls to my friend Tom and some piecing together of the recipe, I gathered all of the ingredients and made a dish that even
impressed a certain young lady (though I think she enjoys almost anything I cook).
If you are looking for a great brunch dish for friends, family or even
your kids, this is it. Serve it as an appetizer before a savory brunch, or save it for dessert. It is a bit time
consuming, but don't let all of the work scare you, the end result is worth it. And since today is my Mom's birthday,
I suppose she would enjoy this meal if I was there to make it for her (I doubt my Dad had time to get up and make this before
he went to work). Enjoy, and Happy Birthday to my Mom and Aunt Judy!
Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast
Topped with fresh seasonal
berry coulis
Makes three to four pieces of stuffed French toast.
Ingredients
6 to 8 slices of bread, dried
3 Eggs (beaten)
Cinnamon
Brown
Sugar
Butter
Vegetable Oil
French Toast Stuffing:
1 package Philadelphia cream cheese (8 oz.)
Honey
Brown Sugar
Powdered
White Sugar
Cinnamon
For stuffing, combine all ingredients together in a bowl and mix with a
large spoon. Add each ingredient to taste.
To make the stuffed French toast, spread the stuffing mixture between two
slices of dried (or stale) sliced bread, just as if you were making a peanut butter sandwich. Repeat until all of the
mixture is used, for a total of three or four “sandwiches.” The thicker the bread, the better off you are with the stuffing.
However, I have made it before with regular white sliced bread, but recently used the Sweet Buttermilk bread from Pepperidge
Farm.
On a plate with slanted edges, make the French toast egg-wash by combining
eggs, cinnamon and brown sugar.
In a non-stick fry pan, heat vegetable oil and butter. Place the
first French toast sandwich face down in the egg-wash for several seconds, then turn over to coat the second side. Then
place it in the heated pan to cook, this may take several minutes per side. Make sure to keep the heat on medium, as
a high heat can burn the butter. Cook the French toast until it is golden brown. Remove and let it drain on paper
towels.
For plating, slice the French Toast diagonally, then dust with powdered
sugar and top with seasonal berries or the seasonal berry coulis.
Fresh seasonal berry coulis:
1 pint of berries (strawberries, blueberries or raspberries)
2 tbsp
White Sugar
Juice of 1 Lemon
Heat a small saucepan and add berries, 2 tbsp of white sugar and squeeze
in the juice of one lemon; stir all ingredients together. The berries will cook down and render juices that will combine
with the sugar to make a thick sauce. Add extra lemon juice if necessary. Continue to cook until your sauce is
to its desired consistency, the longer it cooks, fewer whole berries will be present; 10 minutes should be adequate.
