French Toast Stuffed with Cream Cheese and Strawberries

I made this delight for my honey Valentines morning. For me, Valentines breakfast is no love day breakfast unless involves strawberries and fresh sweetened whipping cream. I try to do something new with these 2 ingredients every year but I think it would be foolish at this point to try and top Sunday's breakfast. So, it's official, the annual Orme Family Valentines Day Breakfast has been decided.

Have you ever had the most perfect french toast with a kind of hard thick crust with a soft perfect center and you wonder- how the heck did they make this? My friends, I have figured it out and it's sandwiched between homemade strawberry cream cheese heaven. This may seam somewhat labor intensive but it really is pretty easy- it's just has a lot of little steps and I would walk across hot coals to have this served to me, so a little extra work is so worth it.

French Toast Stuffed with Cream Cheese and Strawberries

Ingredients (Random but this serves 2 to 3 people- it makes 3 big pieces, my hubby and I split the extra- it was just too good- just double or triple as needed)

6 slices good quality thick white bread (texas toast, gourmet french bread, ext)

1/2 block (4 ounces) softened cream cheese

2 large tablespoons strawberry preserves ( I love TJ's)

2/3 cup powdered sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Butter and oil for pan

Fresh strawberries, sliced

Fresh made whipping cream (heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to taste)

Extra powdered sugar for dusting on top

Fresh mint (optional), for garnish

First, make the filling.

Combine the cream cheese, strawberry preserves and powdered sugar. Beat with a hand mixer until very smooth and creamy, set aside.

Next, make the egg mixture.

Crack eggs into a shallow wide dish (like a pie tin or round cake pan).

Beat with a fork and pour heavy cream into the eggs, while whisking with the fork (about 30 seconds).

Once mixture is smooth, slowly beat flour into egg mixture being careful to minimize any lumps that may form. Mixture should be pretty smooth. It's basically a batter.

Now that the filling is made and the egg mixture is ready, assemble the french toast (it's basically a sandwich).

Evenly spread and divide the cream cheese mixture between all 6 slices of bread. Pair slices together, making 3 sandwiches.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet to medium, add a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of vegetable oil.

Place the first sandwich into the egg mixture and let it soak for about 15 seconds, very carefully flip it to the other side and make sure that the bread is thickly and evenly coated with the egg mixture. Do the same thing to the other side.

Place sandwich onto hot pan and repeat process to add another sandwich. Each side should cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and a nice thick crust is covering the entire slice of bread.

Serve hot dusted with powdered sugar and topped with fresh strawberries and whipping cream.

Tip- if it's just you and your honey make the 2 pieces and eat them hot and fresh with all the fixings and then when you are done go back and make the third piece to split. Also, if you are serving more, you can stick them in the oven on 200 while the rest cook.

Happy happy eating!