In the Mobile Soul kitchen, we’re always trying to figure out ways to use ingredients in different ways. So after making a batch of our strawberry cheesecake cookies for one of our favorite customers this past weekend, ideas of how the leftover strawberry topping swirled around in my mind. But not for long. I walked into the kitchen and saw the remainder of a challah loaf sitting in the breadbasket, and the strawberry topping’s fate was decided.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- Fresh lemon juice
- Granulated (white) sugar
- Brown sugar
- Challah bread loaf
- Coconut milk or almond or dairy (whole) milk
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
Equipment you’ll need
- Knife and cutting board
- Small pot (for making the filling)
- Masher or fork (optional, but mashing the fruit speeds up the process of making the filling)
- Whisk
- Shallow bowl or dish (to mix together eggs, milk, etc.)
- Skillet or cast iron pan (for grilling french toast)
- Metal spatula
How to make the strawberry sauce/filling
We like simplicity around here, and this is the easiest way we’ve found to make strawberry (and other fruit) sauces. A lot of recipes call for pectin, which is what makes the substance really thicken and stay together like jellies and jams from the store. This recipe simply combines the natural flavor of the fruit with a little sugar and water and boils everything together to thicken it. It will thicken even more as it cools.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of chopped strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 Tablespoon of granulated sugar
- About 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice (optional, but recommended)
- 1-2 teaspoons of water (if using fresh berries)
Instructions:
- If using fresh berries, combine them with lemon juice and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil. A teaspoon or so of water may be needed to keep the fruit from sticking and burning. Stir occasionally to keep the sauce from burning. When the sauce starts to thicken, lower the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until all liquid has evaporated and the sauce is reduced by at least half.
- If using frozen berries, combine berries, lemon juice, and sugar in a small pot and bring them to a boil. No additional water will be needed. Cook until berries thaw and then mash them together with the sugar to a more even consistency. Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until all liquid has evaporated and the sauce is reduced by at least half.
How to make strawberry-stuffed french toast
After making the strawberry filling, the process is very straightforward. Cut your bread slices between 1/2″ and 3/4″ thick. If you are using very large slices, you might want to cut them in half and stuff each slice instead of using two whole slices to make one stuffed french toast piece. You can either cut them in half then stuff and cook the slices or stuff and cook the whole pieces and then cut them in half. It’s completely up to you.
Once all of the pieces are cut and paired off, add a thick layer of jam to the center of one slice then top it with another piece of bread. Be sure to keep the filling away from the edges or it will make coating and cooking very messy. The jam will spread more when the french toast is being cooked so don’t worry if it doesn’t seem to fill out the slice evenly just yet.
Spread filling on each piece of bread and pair it with another piece that matches it (as closely as you can manage) so they make neat little sandwiches. Press gently to secure the sandwich and then the coating process begins.
This is where the familiar part of making french toast comes in. Combine milk, eggs, vanilla extract, sugars, and cinnamon in a shallow dish and carefully place each stuffed challah bread sandwich down into the mixture. Make sure to saturate both sides without soaking them to the point where they fall apart completely, about 8-10 seconds on each side.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt a tablespoon of butter in the pan. Add the french toast and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. Don’t forget to either flip the french toast onto the cut side of the bread or push it up against the side of the pan to finish cooking.
Top with fresh berries, whipped cream, powdered sugar, honey, and/or syrup, then enjoy!
Other ways to stuff your french toast
Say you’re not a huge fan of strawberries. No biggie. Substitute the strawberry filling for any of the following and it will still make your day!
- Raspberry, blackberry, or blueberry jam (store-bought or prepared in the same way as the strawberries above) + lavender extract/paste for a pleasant floral note
- Fresh berries
- Roasted sweet potato puree
- Cookie butter
- Marshmallow fluff and chocolate with graham cracker crumbles
- Mascarpone cheese
- Nuts or granola
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Peanut butter and bananas
- Scrambled eggs, bacon & cheese
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