Introduction: Stuffed French Toast Recipe

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My previous Instructable for a simple french toast recipe was a big success, even scooping a win in Burning Questions 6.
So, how do you make something as awesome as french toast even better? By taking it to the extreme and adding a crispy coating and stuffing it with your favourite fruit fillings!

This recipe will show you how to make crusted french toaststuffed with berry and mango, served with strawberry coulis and peanut butter.
This recipe is more time intensive than regular french toast, but the results are worth it. Measurements and ingredients shown are a guide only, feel free to remix the portions, filling and technique to create your own decadent breakfast. Share your results in the comments below.

How can this be the first real stuffed french toast recipe on this site?
Searching for stuffed french toast yields recipes that are were more 'sandwich' than 'stuffed'.
Tsk!



Enough talk, let make some tasty toast!

Step 1: Ingredients

This recipe is slightly different than my previous french toast recipe. The main difference is the inclusion of evaporated milk. Depending on your preference you can edit this recipe for a soggier or eggy mixture. As with much of cooking, personal flair is just as important as exact measurements.

This recipe makes about 6 slices of stuffed french toast, enough to feed two:
materials:
  • bread:
    • 6x thick-slice bread (aka Texas Toast)
  • batter:
    • 100ml (1/2 cup) evaporated milk
    • 100ml (1/2 cup) milk
    • 2x eggs
    • spices (nutmeg, cinnamon)
  • crust:
    • 1 cup grainy-flake type cereal  (frosted/corn flakes, etc) 
    • nuts (optional)
  • filling:
    • 2 1/2 cups fruit of your choice
    • 4 tablespoons cream cheese
utensils + implements:
  • stove
  • disposable plastic bag(pastry piping bag)
  • 2 plates
  • large mixing bowl
  • whisk
  • spatula
  • measuring cup
  • spoon
  • cutting boards
  • rolling pin
  • sharp knife
  • frying pan
  • butter

Frozen fruit can be substituted for fresh provided it's thawed prior to filling.
I chose this berry selection because they get nice and juicy when mushed.
Fruit should be reduced to juicy pulp, either by potato masher or stove-top cooking.

You could easily modify this recipe for a savory twist, like Montreal streak spice crusted toast stuffed brie and black forest ham. Vary this recipe to suit your preferance. Experiment with different types of bread, soaking times and fillings.

Step 2: Crush Coating

Pour cereal onto cutting board. Place a second cutting board over the cereal sandwiching it between the two boards, apply pressure on top board crushing the cereal.

Mill the cereal with rotating action or by using a rolling pin. After a few seconds the result should look like fine bread crumbs.

Pour crumbs onto a flat plate and set aside.

Step 3: Batter

In a new bowl, combine eggs with dairy.
Whisk together.

Add spices as desired.
Whisk again, and set aside.

Step 4: Mash Filling + Bag

In a separate bowl, combine all fruit ingredients.
This example uses blueberries, strawberries and mangoes. If you're using hard fruits (apples, pears) you may need to reduce the fruits on the stove prior to piping to ensure a jam-like consistency.

Once fruit is mashed to a rough texture, add room-temperature cream cheese.
Combine with fork until consistent mixture is achieved.
Do not over-blend, large fruit chunks are desirable.

Once mixed, scoop filling into plastic bag (or pastry piping bag). Once bag has been filled, seal open end of bag with hand. Gently rub a bottom corner of the bag to clear filling contents, then snip corner of bag to create a piping nozzle.

Step 5: Incise Bread + Fill

Stuffed french toast is possible due to the thickness of the bread used, and the stiffness of the bread when cut. While almost any bread can be used for french toast, certain breads have textures and densities that other don't. Experiment, have fun makign tasty mistakes.

With a sharp knife make an incision on the bottom of the bread slice, creating a pocket inside the slice. Leave a good perimeter between the pocket and the crust.
Tearing may occur when creating the pocket, which will allow some filling to escape. Most times the batter coating will seal in any leaks, but try to keep the cuts neat.
Take your time.

When all slices have pockets cut, use the piping bag to carefully fill each pocket.
Ensure each slice has plenty of filling, leaving a small amount of room at top.

Step 6: Dip, Coat, Then Pan Fry

With all slices filled, it's time to batter, coat, then fry.
Use a large frying pan and turn on your stove-top element to med-low (on a scale of 1-10, we're talking a 3-4). Add some butter or oil when pan has reached temperature.

I set up a production line, as once you get messy it's easier to keep going:
stuffed bread pile > batter > cereal coat > frying pan
Repeat until pan is full.

The low heat will cook the batter and warm the filling. Flip toast after a few minutes or when golden brown. Depending on your filling, you may want to put finished toast in oven to finish it off and warm up the filling prior to serving.
Keep warm in oven at 135-150°C (275-300°F) for 5 minutes.

Salmonella sucks, make sure your slices are cooked.

Step 7: The Reveal

When all slices have been cooked, plate up a stack and top your toast with your favourite toppings.
Maple syrup and confectioner's sugar are tasty regular, but I wanted something more original. I served this dish with a gob of peanut butter and finished it off with a strawberry coulis, which is fruit mashed through a strainer into a syrupy jam-like consistency.

Serve hot.
om nom nom!

Happy making :)