Mascarpone-Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry-Vanilla Syrup

Make the Strawberry Syrup:

Combine the strawberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. If the berries are tart, add more sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer until the strawberries are soft and the syrup has thickened, about 15 minutes. If you want a smooth syrup, you can strain the mixture or blend the syrup with an immersion blender. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside.

While the syrup is simmering, make the French Toast:

In a small bowl, mix together the mascarpone, lemon zest, and sugar until combined. Using a butter knife, spread a generous scoop (about 2 tablespoons) of the mascarpone mixture on a slice of bread and then top with another slice of bread. Repeat this process until you run out of mascarpone, about 6 sandwiches.

Preheat a large nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat with a bit of canola oil (I used an electric griddle at 325ºF).

In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and milk. Dip each of the sandwiches in the egg mixture and turn to soak each side. Place on the hot griddle and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Cook in batches, keeping the finished French toast warm in a 200ºF oven, if needed.