First Posted: 1/14/2014

I have never met a breakfast I didn’t like.

Chocolate chip pancakes, Eggs Benedict, an omelet stuffed to the brim – hell, even a simple bagel with cream cheese – are all wonderful meals to me, and I can eat them at any time of the day.

Yet, I’ve never fallen so in love with a breakfast like this: mascarpone strawberry stuffed French toast.

Cheese is very much my favorite food on the planet, so throwing that into this incredibly filling dish was really just the topping on the toast, as it were.

Mascarpone is an easily spreadable cheese and may be familiar to you if you’re a fan of tiramisu. When joined with strawberries, it makes for a heavenly combo.

The most difficult part of this is creating the perfect pocket to shove the mascarpone/strawberry mixture in, one that won’t break open but allows for enough room.

Grab a loaf of unsliced bread (Like, what is this sorcery? Do they actually sell bread unsliced?) of any kind you choose from the grocery store. I went with plain white.

Slice four one-and-a-half-inch slices. Then, with a long sharp knife, cut down through the center of each slice, making the slit almost to the bottom and sides without poking through. You want it to be nice and sealed around the edges so nothing spills out. And, I mean, if you want to turn that piece of bread into a sort of sock puppet and make it talk to your dog while you’re doing this, that’s fine, too. I digress.

Hand mix the mascarpone and strawberry preserves and place them in a small piping bag. Pipe the filling equally between the four slices, pressing the tip into the bread opening and squeezing as you lift up. Be gentle with this or you’ll burst the sides. After adding the filling, use a small spoon to spread the filling around on the inside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk until combined. Place the four stuffed slices into the egg mixture so all sides are coated. Leave them to soak up the egg while you work on the next step.

Slice the strawberries and place them in a bowl with one-half teaspoon of milk, balsamic vinegar, and powdered sugar and mix gently. Set aside.

On a flat non-stick pan, bring heat to medium and melt the butter to coat the surface. Once the pan is hot and the butter is just starting to brown, place French toast onto pan and cover with some sort of lid, be it a pan, bowl, or heatproof glass dish that won’t squish the toast.

Cook for three to four minutes, remove the cover, flip the toast, and place the cover back on. Cook for an additional three to four minutes. Both sides should be browned, but not dry or overcooked.

Remove the toast to serving plates and cover with strawberry mixture. If you so wish, sprinkle the pieces with additional powdered sugar.

MASCARPONE STRAWBERRY STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

Courtesy of: afamilyfeast.com

Yields 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of unsliced bread of choice

• 4 oz. mascarpone cheese

• 4 oz. strawberry preserves

• 4 eggs

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 pound fresh strawberries

• 1/2 teaspoon milk

• 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 2 tablespoons butter

How-to:

• Slice four 1 ½-inch slices from the loaf. With a long sharp knife, cut down through the center of each slice, making the slit almost to the bottom and sides without poking through.

• Hand mix the mascarpone and strawberry preserves and place in a small piping bag. Pipe the filling equally between the four slices, pressing the tip into the slit and squeezing as you lift up. Use a small spoon to spread the filling around on the inside.

• In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk until combined.

• Place the four stuffed slices into the egg mixture turning so all sides are coated. Leave them to soak up the egg while you work on the next step.

• Trim and slice the strawberries and place in a bowl with the 1/2 teaspoon of milk, balsamic vinegar, and powdered sugar. Toss slightly or gently mix with a rubber spatula. Let this mixture sit while you cook the toast.

• Find a pan, bowl, or heatproof glass dish that can be used as a cover over the cooking toast.

• On a flat non stick pan, bring heat to medium and melt butter to coat surface. Once the pan is hot and butter is just starting to brown, place French toast onto pan and cover with prepared lid.

• Cook for about 3-4 minutes, remove cover, flip and place cover back on. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove cover and check. Both sides should be browned, but not dry or overcooked.

• Remove to serving plates and cover with strawberry mixture. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar if you’d like.