Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 loaf Challah or Brioche bread, cut into 2” slices including the crust
- Batter for Dipping The French Toast
- 6 jumbo eggs
- 1 cup half and half (or heavy cream if you want to take it to a new level!)
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- pinch of freshly ground sea salt
- Filling For The French Toast
- 8 oz. Italian mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 8-oz. jar of lemon-curd
- zest of 1 lemon
- 6 Tbsp. powdered sugar
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- For frying & baking
- 2 Tbsp. high quality butter
- Garnish
- Lots of fresh raspberries
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Serve with
- Maple syrup
Instructions
Prepare the Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mascarpone cheese, lemon curd, lemon zest, powdered powdered sugar and vanilla, combining nicely until smooth.
- Set aside to stuff the bread.
Stuff the Bread Slices
- Cut the bread into into 2″ generously thick slices.
- Spread mascarpone-lemon curd mixture on top of one layer of bread slices up to about ¼” from the edge of the bread slices to prevent filling from overflowing.
- Place a generous amount of fresh whole raspberries all over each bread slice.
- Dollop any remaining mascarpone lemon-curd mixture on top of the raspberries.
- Top the spread bread slices with the other slice of bread.
Prepare the Batter
- In a medium bowl, with an immersion blender, mix together the eggs, half and half, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and pinch of salt.
- Baking
- Lay the stuffed bread slices in a single layer in a large baking pan.
- Pour the batter all over the stuffed bread slices.
- Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning or before brunch is served pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove the batter-soaked stuffed toast from the batter.
- Melt a generous amount of high-quality butter in a heavy frying pan (such as cast iron).
- Place the battered, stuffed bread slices into the hot butter and cook until a nice golden-brown color appears.
- Place the prepared french toast in an uncovered baking dish in the heated oven and bake for 1/2 hour.
- Dust with powdered sugar.
- Garnish with raspberries.
- Serve immediately out of the oven with warm maple syrup