Strawberry Vanilla Bean
Stuffed French Toast
16 slices french bread ~ about 1 inch thick
2 - 3 cups fresh sliced strawberries ~ about 1/4 inch thick
1 8-ounce container Strawberry Cream Cheese
2 1/2 cups half & half
5 eggs
1/2 cup sugar ~ optional
1 tablespoon Vanilla Bean paste (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.
Spread strawberry cream cheese onto 8 slices of the bread and arrange in the prepared pan.
Arrange strawberries on top.
Spread remaining bread with remaining cream cheese and place cream cheese side down on top of berries.
In a large bowl, combine half & half, eggs, vanilla and sugar, if using. Beat until combined. Pour over bread in pan.
Place a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap over bread and press down lightly to ensure bread soaks up the liquid.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours or overnight.
Remove plastic wrap and cover with foil.
Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top and set.
Cut between bread slices. Serve with maple syrup and garnish with more berries, if desired.
The line up.
Spread cream cheese on half the
bread then arrange it in the pan.
Top with berry slices.
Spread the remaining cream cheese
on the remaining bread and lay on top of the berries.
Mix the milk. eggs, vanilla
(and sugar if using) and pour over the bread.
Cover with parchment paper and
press down to ensure that the bread
soaks up the liquid. Chill several
hours or overnight.
Bake!!!
Serve it up with some maple syrup!
