Strawberries Cheesecake French Toast Recipe Video

Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast
Simple Strawberry Syrup:
1 cup California strawberries, finely chopped
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice

French Toast:
2 large California strawberries, mashed
½ cup light cream cheese, softened
2 tsp powdered sugar
8 slices egg bread, or other loaf bread (preferably a day or two old), sliced ½ inch thick
3 large eggs, beaten
½ cup milk
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp butter
sliced almonds, optional

Directions
Simple Strawberry Syrup: In a small mixing bowl, sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar over chopped strawberries. Add lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix with a fork and set aside.

French Toast: With a serrated knife, slice bread into pieces ½ inch thick. Mix together mashed strawberries, light cream cheese, powdered sugar and 2 tbsp of the strawberry syrup. Spread 4 slices of bread with 2 tbsp of the strawberry cream cheese mixture. Cover with the remaining 4 slices of bread to make 4 sandwiches. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dip bread into the egg mixture, gently flipping to allow egg mixture to soak in. Melt butter in the skillet, spreading the melted butter to evenly coat the bottom of the pan. Cook French toast for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Place French toast onto plates and top with a few tablespoons of the strawberry syrup. Dust with powdered sugar and sprinkle with sliced almonds if desired. Serve immediately. Serves 4

Source: California Strawberry Commission