Whenever I have guests for the weekend, I always want to create a winning brunch that is delicious, simple to make AND something I can construct ahead of time. I don’t want to waste my morning getting brunch ready. I want to spend it with a mug of delicious coffee & my guests. Enter your new favorite—>Lemon & Blueberry Stuffed French Toast.
If you’ve been searching for that tried-and-true sweet brunch treat that you can prep the night before AND everyone will love-look no further.
Classic dense bread is stuffed with the complimentary flavors of lemon and blueberry…trust me this is no joke. This is what your Saturday morning dreams are made of. The next time you have guests for the weekend, grab these ingredients and print off this recipe. Your guests will thank you! And…they may not leave. Enjoy!
And…if you need a savory brunch recipe to compliment this sweet, stuffed french toast, check out my amazing recipe for Baked Eggs in Ham. It will set your brunch on fire!
Lemon & Blueberry Stuffed French Toast
This is a delicious breakfast or brunch treat that can be prepped the night before~Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Filling:
- 4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 T. sugar
- 1 tsp. lemon extract
- 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
- French Toast:
- 6 slices (1.5 inch thick) bread such as Challah, Italian, French or other medium textured bread
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- For the Griddle:
- 1.5 T. butter
- 1.5 T. vegetable oil
- Blueberry Syrup:
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Directions
- Step 1 Make the filling-In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, lemon extract and zest and beat until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, about 1 minutes. Gently stir in the ricotta until just combined.
- Step 2 Stuff and make the French toast-Create a pocket in each slice of bread by inserting a sharp knife into the top crust of the bread and then working the knife in both directions, cutting to within 3/4″ of the sides and bottom. Be careful not to puncture the sides of the bread. Spoon in 2-3 T. of the lemon filling until the pocket is full but not bursting. The amount you place inside the pocket will depend on the size of the bread. Tap the bread on the counter to settle the filling.
- Step 3 In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and cream. Dip each slice of stuffed bread into the eggs mixture, soaking each side for about 1 minute to coat well and evenly. Stand the pieces upright in a baking dish and drizzle with any remaining egg mixture.
- Step 4 Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day (preferably overnight).
- Step 5 When ready to serve, heat the oven to 375 F degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat until the butter is melted and foamy. Saute as many pieces as will fit comfortably in the pan at one time, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. The bread will puff up a bit. Continue with all pieces.
- Step 6 Place the sautéed pieces on the greased baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Step 7 Make the blueberry syrup-In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves, about 2-3 minutes. Increase the heat and bring the mixture just to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and drizzle warm blueberry syrup over cooked stuffed French toast slices. Devour.
