Traverse City Cherry French Toast

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• bread, unsliced (1 lb loaf)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 -2 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups pitted tart cherries, mashed lightly (fresh, frozen, canned)
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup whipping cream or 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• salt, a pinch
• unsalted butter, for pan frying
• vegetable oil, for pan frying
• powdered sugar
• real maple syrup, warmed

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325°.
• 2 butter a baking sheet.
• 3 cut the bread into 8 equal slices, about 1 inch thick.
• 4 prepare filling--mash together in a medium bowl the cream cheese with the sugar and almond extract.
• 5 stir in the cherries and add more sugar if the flavor is overtly tart.
• 6 the mixture should be thick and chunky.
• 7 in a shallow dish or bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
• 8 with a serrated knife, cut a pocket into the side of each piece of bread, carefully slicing into but not all the way through the bread.
• 9 spoon equal portions of the filling into each slice.
• 10 dunk the stuffed bread slices into the egg mixture and soak them several minutes, turning if needed to coat evenly, until saturated but short of falling apart.
• 11 warm 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon oil together on a griddle or in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.
• 12 cook the french toast in batches briefly until golden brown and lightly crisp, turning once.
• 13 place the first slices on the baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven.
• 14 continue cooking the remaining slices, adding more butter and oil as needed.
• 15 when all of the french toast is ready, dust with powdered sugar, sprinkling it through a fine sieve.
• 16 serve immediately with maple syrup.