Hamdi Saidani This Chocolate Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast is a rich and decadent recipe, which is made with creamy mascarpone and day-old brioche. It’s the perfect restaurant-quality breakfast, ready in about an hour.
Chocolate Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast Ingredients
For the Strawberry Syrup:
- 2 pints whole fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the French Toast:
- 1/2 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- 12 slices day-old brioche, about 3/4-inch thick
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for the griddle
For Serving:
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
- Grated chocolate
How To Make Chocolate Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast
- Make the Strawberry Syrup: In a large saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, 2/3 cup of water, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Strain the strawberries out of the liquid. Continue to boil the liquid for another 8-10 minutes until it has thickened to a syrupy consistency. Stir in the lemon juice and add the strawberries back to the syrup.
- Make the Chocolate-Mascarpone Filling: In a bowl, combine the room-temperature mascarpone, heavy cream, orange zest, and sugar. Mix in the melted and cooled chocolate until incorporated.
- Assemble the “Sandwiches”: Spread about 2 tablespoons of the filling on one slice of brioche and top with another slice to create a sandwich. Repeat to make 6 sandwiches in total.
- Cook the French Toast: Preheat your oven to 200°F to keep the cooked toast warm. In a shallow dish, whisk the eggs and half-and-half to make the custard. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter on a nonstick griddle or large skillet over medium heat.
- Soak and Cook: Dip each sandwich into the egg bath, allowing it to soak on both sides. Place the soaked sandwiches on the hot griddle and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Cook in batches, transferring the finished ones to an oven-safe platter in the warm oven.
- Serve: Cut the sandwiches diagonally in half. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and some grated chocolate. Serve immediately with the warm Strawberry Syrup on the side.
Recipe Tips
- What’s the best bread for stuffed French toast? A sturdy, rich, day-old bread like brioche or challah is essential. It’s strong enough to hold the filling and absorbent enough to soak up the custard without falling apart.
- How to get a perfect golden-brown crust? The key is to cook on a consistent medium heat. If the heat is too high, the outside will burn before the chocolate-mascarpone filling has a chance to get warm and melty.
- Can I make parts of this ahead of time? Absolutely! The strawberry syrup is a perfect make-ahead component. It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also assemble the stuffed “sandwiches” and keep them covered in the fridge overnight before dipping and cooking them in the morning.
- What is mascarpone? Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese that is much richer, creamier, and less tangy than American cream cheese. It has a wonderfully smooth, luxurious texture that makes it perfect for desserts.
What To Serve With Stuffed French Toast
This is an incredibly rich and decadent breakfast or brunch dish that is a complete meal on its own, especially when served with the homemade strawberry syrup. It needs no other accompaniment, but a side of crispy, salty bacon would be a wonderful savory contrast.
How To Store Stuffed French Toast
- Best Eaten Fresh: This dish is at its absolute best when it is hot and fresh from the griddle.
- Refrigerate: If you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The texture will not be as crisp upon reheating.
- Reheat: For the best results, reheat the French toast in a toaster oven or on a skillet over low heat to help re-crisp the outside.
Stuffed French Toast Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 780 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 95g
- Protein: 15g
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Sugar: 65g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Can I use regular cream cheese instead of mascarpone?
You can, but the flavor and texture will be different. If you use regular cream cheese, make sure it is at room temperature and beat it well to make it as smooth as possible. It will be tangier and less creamy than mascarpone.
Why is my French toast soggy in the middle?
This usually happens if you let the bread soak in the egg custard for too long. A quick dip on each side is all you need. It can also be caused by cooking on too high a heat, which browns the outside before the inside has a chance to cook through.
Can I use a different fruit for the syrup?
Yes, this syrup would be equally delicious made with fresh or frozen raspberries, blueberries, or a mixed berry blend.
Try More Recipes:
Chocolate Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry Syrup Recipe
Description
A decadent, restaurant-style brunch dish featuring thick slices of brioche bread stuffed with a rich chocolate-mascarpone filling, then soaked in custard and griddled to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the strawberry syrup by cooking the strawberries, sugar, and corn syrup, then straining and reducing the liquid until syrupy. Stir the strawberries back in with the lemon juice.
- Make the filling by mixing the mascarpone, cream, orange zest, sugar, and melted chocolate.
- Create 6 “sandwiches” by spreading the filling between the slices of brioche.
- Whisk the eggs and half-and-half to create the custard.
- Dip each sandwich in the custard, soaking both sides.
- Cook the sandwiches on a buttered griddle over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
- Serve the warm French toast dusted with powdered sugar, with the strawberry syrup on the side.
Notes
- The most important tip for this recipe is to use day-old, sturdy bread like brioche or challah that can hold up to the filling and the custard soak.
- For the best results, cook the French toast on a consistent medium heat to ensure the inside gets warm and melty without the outside burning.
- The strawberry syrup is a perfect make-ahead component and can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking; work in batches to ensure each sandwich gets a beautiful, even golden-brown crust.
