Elegant French Toast With Maple-Pecan Syrup |
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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes |
Ready In: 50 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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This cherry and cream cheese-stuffed French toast makes an elegant addition to any holiday brunch. Ingredients:
1 loaf unsliced egg bread, such as challah or 1 loaf other firm bread |
1 1/4 cups pitted tart red cherries, drained (canned or frozen) |
6 ounces cream cheese or 6 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened |
1/4 cup whipping cream |
2 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar (optional) |
6 beaten eggs |
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon |
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract |
1 -2 tablespoon butter or 1 -2 tablespoon margarine |
1 cup maple syrup |
1/4 cup clover honey |
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted |
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon |
2 tablespoons butter (optional) or 2 tablespoons margarine (optional) |
grains salt (a few) |
apple, sliced into thin wedges (optional) |
1 sprig mint (optional) |
Directions:
1. FRENCH TOAST:.
2. Trim ends from the loaf of bread and cut the bread into six 1-1/2 thick slices.
3. To make a pocket in each slice, beginning at the top, cut lengthwise in half to within 1 of the bottom.
4. Set aside.
5. In a small bowl, beat 3/4 cup of cherries, cream cheese or mascarpone, whipping cream and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.
6. If you like, with an electric mixer until well combined.
7. Spread about 1/4 cup of the mixture into pocket of each slice of bread.
8. Gently press pieces of bread together, distributing filling evenly inside pocket.
9. Combine eggs, cinnamon and vanilla in a shallow dish.
10. Dip bread into egg mixture to coat all sides.
11. On a griddle or in a skillet, cook bread in hot butter or margarine over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
12. Add more butter or margarine, if needed.
13. Remove from heat and cut French toast in half diagonally, forming two triangles.
14. Place three triangles for each serving on warm plates.
15. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar and remaining cherries.
16. MAPLE-PECAN SYRUP:.
17. Melt butter or margarine, add nuts; brown lightly: remove nuts.
18. Add maple syrup, honey, cinnamon and salt to butter in saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
19. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and cinnamon.
20. Let cool; mixture will thicken as it cools.
21. Serve the french toast with warm syrup and slices of apple on to, or with powdered sugar.
22. *If you choose you can sub any kind of fruit.
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