Strawberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

Note: The filling and topping can be made ahead, allowing you to prepare this dish relatively quickly.

Prepare the topping:

In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, salt, and sugar. Add water and mashed strawberries, stir to dissolve the dry ingredients as much as possible (there should be no large clumps). Heat over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Continue heating for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Allow to cool, refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the filling:

Soften the cream cheese. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, whisking together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble and cook the French toast:

Beat together eggs and milk, set aside. Start heating a large skillet over medium heat and preheat oven to 350°. Cut 6 thick slices, approximately 1-1/4” each, from the loaf of sourdough. Cut an opening in each slice, leaving one edge intact. Fill the open middle of each slice with cream cheese mixture.

When pan is hot, spray with cooking spray or swipe with a stick of butter. Dip each stuffed slice in egg mixture, or spread a layer of the egg mixture over each side. Cook slices in the hot pan until golden brown (about 5 minutes), gently pressing down if necessary to cook evenly. Do not overcrowd the pan.

When the first side is golden brown, flip and cook second side. When second side is cooked, transfer to a baking sheet and put in the preheated oven to cook for an additional 8-10 minutes. This will help to warm the filling through and cook any of the egg mixture on the sides of the stuffed slices that did not fry in the pan.

When filling is starting to turn golden and/or leaking from the slices, remove from the oven and transfer to plates. Cover with strawberry topping and serve immediately.