Coconut Cream Stuffed French Toast

By MooK

Ingredients

• Coconut Cream Cheese Filling:
• One 2-pound loaf challah bread
• Coconut Cream Cheese Filling, recipe follows
• French Toast Batter, recipe follows
• 2 to 4 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup raspberry puree
• 1 cup strawberries, diced
• 4 bananas
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• Serving suggestions: ground cinnamon, confectioners' sugar and maple syrup
• .
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• .
• French Toast Batter:
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation

Step 1

Cut the bread into 5 thick slices, each about 2-inches thick. Split the top of each slice open in the middle, creating a pocket. Stuff each pocket with 1/2 cup of the Coconut Cream Cheese Filling. Dip each piece of stuffed toast into the French Toast Batter, coating completely.

Add 2 teaspoons of the oil to a pan set over medium heat. Place some pieces of the toast into the hot pan and cook until brown on both sides and heated through in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat for the remaining toast, adding more oil as needed to the pan.

Transfer the raspberry puree to a squeeze bottle. Drizzle some raspberry puree in a circle on each serving plate. Sprinkle some strawberries on top. Cut the French toast slices in half on the bias and shingle 2 halves on each serving plate.

Cut the bananas in half lengthwise and then split in half again widthwise. Place the bananas cut-side up on a sheet tray. Sprinkle the bananas with the granulated sugar to coat. Using the torch, melt the sugar until golden in color. Carefully place 3 pieces of banana on each plate next to the French toast.
Sprinkle the coconut on the plates, then dust each with cinnamon and confectioners' sugar and serve with maple syrup.

Coconut Cream Cheese Filling:
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk together the cream cheese and mascarpone. Add in the coconut, honey, coconut extract and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.
Yield: 2 1/2 cups

French Toast Batter:
Special equipment: a butane torch; a squeeze bottle
Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat with a wire whisk. Add the milk, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, almond extract, vanilla extract and nutmeg, and mix together until combined. Refrigerate until needed.
Yield: 3 cups