Orange Marmalade & Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

This is a special occasion breakfast. I made these last Sunday and my husband wondered why I didn't put them on my blog. So, I made these again on Christmas morning just for him (well, OK to put on the blog too). You can make these to impress overnight guests or to treat yourself on a lazy Sunday morning. I usually serve these with maple syrup but I’ve also made blackberry syrup to drizzle on top. They are amazing with blackberry syrup or warmed up blackberry preserves.

This makes 4 nice sized servings.


Orange Marmalade and Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

3 large eggs
¾ C half & half
1.5 teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Zest of one orange
Juice from one half of an orange (fresh squeezed)
Pinch of cinnamon or cardamom (optional)
3 oz cream cheese
3 Tablespoons orange marmalade
Challah bread (can use French bread as a substitute)
Butter

Into a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, honey, salt, vanilla, orange zest, orange juice and the cinnamon or cardamom (optional, I use a pinch of cinnamon).


In another small bowl, beat together the cream cheese and marmalade until combined.
Cut bread into 1” thick slices. Then, with a small sharp knife, make a deep pocket in the bottom of the bread (I cut a deep slit, enough to allow a large spoon in). Carefully stuff each piece of challah bread with 1 generous tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. Place the stuffed bread into a deep sided casserole dish.

Pour the egg mixture evenly over the challah.
Let the mixture sit 5 minutes, then gently flip the bread and let the bread rest for another five minutes. The idea is to let the egg mixture soak evenly and deeply into the bread.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Cook the French toast until each side is well browned. Serve with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar or the syrup of your choice.