Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry Compote

I wanted to make something really special for our anniversary yesterday and got this recipe from a person on a cooking board I frequent. I made some changes of my own and if you would like to see her original post go here.

I hope you enjoy! It was really delicious!

 

French Toast:

2 eggs, beaten well


½ cup milk, I used 1% organic milk 


seeds from 1/4 of a vanilla bean


pinch nutmeg


bigger pinch cinnamon


2 tbs. honey


4 slices of bread, I used Central Market Honey Wheat


2 tbs. butter, plus another tbs. if needed

½ package of regular cream cheese, sliced into 6 flat pieces

 

First, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla bean, nutmeg, cinnamon and honey in a mixing bowl. Then, lay bread slices out on a large 9×13″ pan. Pour mixture over the bread. After 5 minutes or so, flip bread and let soak some more. In a pan, melt the butter (med-high heat).  Add bread and cook about 3 min on each side until starts to brown. If you need more butter, add the extra butter. After the bread is done, set aside to make the compote and whipped cream.

 

 

 

Strawberry Compote:

In the original post, it calls for lemon balm. I couldn't find any lemon balm so I substituted some mint and lemon zest. It turned out well.

1 qt. fresh strawberries


2 tbs. brown sugar

zest of most of one lemon 

2 sprigs fresh mint

 

Add strawberries and brown sugar to pan, mash with fork, on medium heat. Stir often, keep mashing strawberries as you go, let come to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until sauce reduces and thickens a bit, add in mint and lemon zest. Cook for about 5 minutes more.

 

 

Whipped Cream:

Take a 1/2 cup heavy cream and a little vanilla and beat it until beautiful stiff peaks.

 

Plating:

Place one piece of french toast on a plate, add 3 slices of cream cheese side by side on the middle of the bread, leaving an area around the edge of the bread clear. Put the other piece of toast on top. Cut the toast diagonally to see the cream cheese filling. Take part of the compote and lay it out on top of the 2 pieces of toast on the plate and then add whipped cream on top. Do the same thing with the other french toast.