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French Toast is one of my mother’s favorite meals and this recipe was specially created for her 65th birthday brunch. We were celebrating her birthday and my brother’s engagement at the Oregon coast (in a beautiful rental) that year and I knew I needed a special recipe for the occasion. This stuffed french toast not only tastes amazing, but is beautiful to serve with the colorful berry stuffing oozing out and mounds of fluffy Chantilly cream on top!
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When you are cooking in another kitchen you typically have to be a bit more flexible and ready to adapt. This proved true for this trip and especially this recipe.
I set out to create some kind of french toast with what we had on hand. Unfortunately we didn’t have any bread around, but luckily we had gone to Costco and had leftover croissants from the evening before. We also had some fresh blackberries that my brother and his wife-to-be had just picked that looked perfect to stuff them with!
This has quickly become the new family favorite and is often requested. So when I was visiting for my mother’s birthday again this past week I figured we would pull out an old favorite and share it with all of you as well!
Bourbon Chantilly Cream
I like to begin by making my Bourbon Chantilly Cream (this is just a fancy way of saying whipped cream that has been sweetened and flavored) so all the flavors have a bit of time to meld while I’m preparing the french toast. This is one thing I urge you to make yourself – don’t reach for the canned stuff. Homemade whipped cream is divine; it only takes a few minutes and a few ingredients.
Simply start with heavy whipping cream (the lighter kinds won’t hold up as well as you need the fat to stabilize), powdered sugar and vanilla. For this recipe I also like to add a splash of bourbon and a bit of cinnamon and salt, but feel free to leave any of these out if you prefer. Just place everything in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form or you can use a blender or mixer to speed up the process.
Looking for a new whisk or just need to add some to your collection? I love these! (affiliate link)[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ custom_padding=”||0px||false|false”]
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Berry Filling
Then you want to split your croissants down the middle leaving a pocket so that you can stuff delicious things in them later. Soon I will share my favorite recipe and techniques for making homemade croissants. If you are in the mood to try something new and have the time they are worth it! (Although they are definitely a labor of love.)
Next make your filling by mixing together your cream cheese, berries and sugar. This time of year our family typically has a stash of wild huckleberries and that’s what I’ve used for this version. If you haven’t tried them look for huckleberry products the next time you are in Oregon, Idaho, Washington or Montana. They are similar to a blueberry although with much more flavor and a bit more tart, but be warned they may become your new favorite berry! (Find out more about huckleberries here.) Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries can all be substituted in this recipe with fabulous results.
(Tip: If you warm your cream cheese in the microwave for around 30 seconds or so it will help prevent lumps as you are mixing or simply buy the pre-whipped cream cheese.)
Stuff your split croissants and set them aside.[/et_pb_text][el_masonry_gallery image_ids=”160,150″ number_of_columns=”2″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/el_masonry_gallery][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]
Egg Wash
Next make your milk and egg wash and dip your stuffed croissants right in! Let them sit on each side for a bit to make sure they soak up the milk and egg mixture.
Pre-heat your pan on medium with a bit of butter in the bottom and once the butter has started to sizzle fry up your french toast for a few minutes on each side until it is golden.[/et_pb_text][el_masonry_gallery image_ids=”158,146″ number_of_columns=”2″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][/el_masonry_gallery][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]Finally, serve with dollops of Bourbon Chantilly Cream, sifted powered sugar and fresh berries. If you happen to have a berry syrup around it also goes great with these. The only problem with this recipe is that you’ll be asked to make it again and again!
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Berry-Stuffed Croissant French Toast with Bourbon Chantilly Cream
Ingredients
Bourbon Chantilly Cream
- 1 cup Heavy Cream 30% milk fat
- 2 tablespoons Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Bourbon good quality, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon optional
- 1 dash Salt optional
Berry Cream Cheese Filling
- 6 ounces Cream Cheese whipped or softened in the microwave
- 3 tablespoons Powdered Sugar you may need more sugar if your berries are tart
- 1 cup Berries
French Toast
- 4 Croissants split
- 1 cup Milk preferably whole
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Bourbon Chantilly Cream
- In a large bowl combine your cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and optional flavorings (cinnamon, bourbon and salt).
- Whisk ingredients until they have formed a soft peak. The key is to use a circular motion with your wrist as you whisk.
- Optionally you can do this in a blender or mixer to save time.
Berry Cream Cheese Filling
- If using un-whipped cream cheese, soften in the microwave for around 30 seconds to prevent lumps in your mixture.
- Then add in your powdered sugar and berries of your choosing.
- Mash and mix until you have a smooth mixture with an even consistency of berries throughout.
French Toast
- Split your croissants with a knife so there is a pocket for the berry filling and stuff with the cream cheese, berry mixture. Press down a bit around the edges to seal.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until combined.
- Dip stuffed croissants into the egg and milk wash letting them sit a bit on each side to absorb the wash.
- Heat your pan on medium and add a knob of butter. When the butter begins to sizzle add your dipped and stuffed croissants. Fry each side a few minutes until golden.
- Serve with dollops of Bourbon Chantilly Cream, sifted powdered sugar and fresh berries.