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Stuffed French Toast

© Marna Gatlin

Peggy from Columbus OH here. I have one daughter, a significant other, two dogs, and a cat. My family has always had certain holiday traditions and breakfast on Christmas morning was one of them. One by one, we would wake up, come downstairs and when everyone had gathered, we would open gifts and wait for breakfast to be ready for serving. The family favorite is Baked Stuffed French Toast filled with orange cream cheese and served with orange butter and maple syrup. This is put together on Christmas Eve and then popped into the oven Christmas morning. When it is accompanied by either bacon, sausage or whatever breakfast meat you prefer and served with a half a grapefruit that has been drizzled with Grand Marnier, you have a wonderful very elegant breakfast.

Stuffed French Toast

20-24 slices of bread (any variety crust removed - I prefer day old Italian or French bread and I have used croissants occasionally)
6 eggs
4 cups half & half
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sugar
dash nutmeg

Filling:
16 oz. cream cheese - mascarpone or even ricotta may be used in place of the cream cheese (I've made it with all three.
1 small can of mandarin oranges drained
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar

Spray a 3-quart baking dish with non-stick pan coating. Arrange half bread in pan so that entire bottom is covered. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, half & half, vanilla and sugar. Pour half of this liquid over bread. In a separate bowl combine filling ingredients together until creamy. Spoon over bread and cover with remaining bread. Pour rest of egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle top with dash of nutmeg. Cover and let stand in refrigerator overnight. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into 12 rectangles to serve. Serve with orange butter and maple syrup. Recipe to follow.

Orange Butter

1/2 cup melted butter
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
zest of one (1) orange
2 cups orange juice
maple syrup

Melt the butter with the cornstarch or one minute then cool. Heat the orange juice and add butter-cornstarch mixture, stirring until thickened. Add the sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add equal parts of orange butter and maple syrup.

Serves 12