Stuffed Brown Butter French Toast with Spiced Strawberries
Buttermilk custard with cornstarch for cling, leak-proof cream cheese filling that doesn't squeeze out, and strawberries with lemon, Grand Marnier, and a glossy cornstarch glaze. Brown butter and bourbon maple finish.
Servings: 4 stuffed sandwiches
Ingredients
French Toast Custard
- 8 slices challah bread sliced 3/4-1 inch thick - 14 oz / 400g
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk - 120 ml
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter - for browning into batter 28g
- 1 tsp bourbon 5 ml
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 5 ml
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar 12g
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- pinch ground allspice
- pinch ground clove
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt up to 1/4 tsp
- 1 tsp cornstarch for better custard cling
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter + 1 tbsp neutral oil for cooking
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese softened - 113g
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar 15g
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Spiced Strawberries
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries sliced - or frozen, thawed slightly
- 1-2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Grand Marnier
- pinch salt
- pinch warm spice blend
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp water slurry for thickening
Bourbon Maple Syrup
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup 120 ml
- 1 tbsp bourbon 15 ml
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter 14g
- pinch flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Dry the bread: Place challah slices on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Slightly dry bread absorbs custard without getting soggy.
- Brown the butter: Melt 2 tbsp butter in light pan over medium heat until amber and nutty-smelling. Cool 5 minutes.
- Make the custard: Whisk eggs, buttermilk, brown butter, bourbon, vanilla, sugar, salt, spices, and 1 tsp cornstarch until completely smooth.
- Make the cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and spreadable.
- Make the strawberries: Add strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, and pinch of spice to small pan. Cook over low heat 2-3 min until juicy. Add Grand Marnier. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook 30-60 sec until lightly thickened and glossy.
- Make the syrup: Warm maple syrup with bourbon and 1 tbsp butter for 60-90 sec. Add flaky salt.
- Cook the French toast FIRST: Heat skillet over medium, add butter + oil. Soak each slice of challah 20-25 sec per side. Cook 3-4 min per side until deeply golden on both sides. Cook in batches.
- Assemble as sandwiches AFTER cooking: While toast is still warm, spread cream cheese filling on one slice and top with second slice like a sandwich. This keeps both sides crisp and prevents filling from oozing and burning on the griddle.
- Serve: Stack sandwiches, spoon warm spiced strawberries over top, finish with bourbon maple syrup.
Video
Notes
Cook first, then assemble — that's the leak-proof fix. Cooking slices individually ensures both sides are deeply golden and not soggy, and assembling after prevents cream cheese from squeezing out and burning on the griddle.
Shown with challah in photos - challah or brioche both work, 3/4 to 1-inch thick.
1 tsp cornstarch in custard = cling not gummy.
1/2 tsp cornstarch in berries = glaze not run.
