Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

As an American living in Europe, where the typical breakfast is a roll with a few slices of cheese, I can tell you first hand the one thing you soon miss is the comfort of a good American breakfast! I LOVE this recipe and the cookbook it comes from: "A Real American Breakfast" by Cheryl Alters Jamison is a collection of traditional and innovative breakfast recipes you are sure to enjoy.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 -1 1⁄4 lb  white bread, unsliced
• 1⁄4 lb cream cheese, softened
• 1 -2  tablespoon sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1 (14 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 1⁄4 cups  whole milk
• 3  large eggs
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  pinch salt
•  unsalted butter
•  vegetable oil
•  confectioners' sugar
•  maple syrup, warmed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300F (150C).
2. Butter a baking sheet.
3. Cut bread into 8 equal slices about 1 inch thick.
4. Mash the cream cheese with 1 tbsp sugar and almond extract in a medium bowl.
5. Stir in the cranberries and taste.
6. Add more sugar if the flavor is too tart.
7. The mixture should be thick and chunky.
8. In a shallow dish or bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, 1 tbsp sugar, vanilla, and salt.
9. With a serrated knife, cut a pocket into the side of each piece of bread, carefully slicing into but not through the bread.
10. Spoon equal portions of the filling into each slice.
11. Dunk the stuffed bread slices into the egg mixture and soak for several minutes, turning if needed to coat evenly, until saturated but short of falling apart.
12. Warm 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil together on a griddle or in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.
13. Briefly cook the French toast in batches until golden brown and lightly crisp, turning once.
14. Place the first slices on the baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven.
15. Continue cooking the remaining slices, adding more butter and oil as needed.
16. When all of the French toast is ready, dust it with confectioners' sugar, sprinkling it through a strainer.
17. Serve immediately with maple syrup.