Tom Saaristo Brie-Stuffed French Toast

http://tomsaaristo.com

Brie-Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients
For the soak:
2 cups half & half
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1/2 cup superfine sugar
pinch of fine salt

For the bread:
8 sliced 2 inch thick Challah bread or Texas Toast
8 thinly sliced pieces of triple cream brie cheese from a quarter wheel
Unsalted butter, for the pan

Grade B Vermont maple syrup, for serving
Sliced Cortland or Honey Crisp apple, for garnish

Method
Combine half & half, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs, sugar and salt in a wide shallow baking dish. Stir vigorously to combine thoroughly.

Using a sharp pairing knife carefully cut a 3 inch long slice into the side of each slice of bread, going no further than halfway through the middle. Push a slice of brie into each slice.

Heat a non-stick pan to medium. Melt a tablespoon of butter for each batch in the pan. Check the egg mixture and whisk again if necessary. Dip a slice of bread into egg mixture, coating both sides thoroughly. When the foam from the butter in the pan has subsided, carefully lay the coated bread in. Cook for 45 seconds, turn and cook 45 to 60 seconds longer.

Remove from the pan. Continue coating and cooking the remaining stuffed bread in the same fashion. Keep cooked bread warm on a baking sheet in a low [200°] oven.

Serve with room temperature or gently heated maple syrup and sliced apple as desired.

This would also be delicious with candied pecans and/or raspberry coulis

Method for candied pecans:
Combine 2 cups pecans with nuts with 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until mixture crystallizes, about 15 minutes. Spread pecans on a buttered baking pan and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn with an oiled metal spatula and bake an additional 15 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Method for raspberry coulis: Purée 2 1/2 cups raspberries with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice in a blender or food processor. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids. The resulting coulis can be stored in a squeeze bottle in the refrigerator for 3 days.

You can also make this coulis with raspberries you’ve frozen, or frozen raspberries from the supermarket. Buy fresh-frozen for this recipe. Don’t buy the raspberries in heavy syrup.