Strawberries & Cream Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:

For the French Toast:

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup whole milk

• 2 T sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg

• ½ tsp salt

• 8 slices brioche bread

• 4 T butter

For the cream cheese filling:

• 2 packages cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup strawberry puree (about 5 strawberries)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup diced strawberries

For topping:

• Powdered sugar
• Fresh sliced strawberries

Instructions:

1. Whisk together all ingredients for dip mixture
2. Beat together all ingredients for cream cheese filling till smooth,  except for diced strawberries.  Fold in the diced strawberries and then put into a piping bag or large ziploc with a corner cut off.
3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat.  Add 1 T butter and allow to melt.
4. Quickly dip 2 pieces of bread into the dip mixture and allow excess to drain off.
5. Immediately place them into the hot pan and allow to sear on both sides until golden brown.  Make sure the heat isn’t too high or the middle of the bread won’t be set yet.
6. Repeat with all bread, keeping the batches in a warm oven.
7. Once all cooked, lay out 4 of the french toast slices on plates.  Pipe the cream cheese mixture to cover the bread and then top with the other slice of french toast.  
8. Dust powdered sugar on top and then arrange fresh strawberries on top as a garnish.  Drizzle with maple syrup and serve!