Ricotta and Strawberry Stuffed Caramelized French Toast
This Ricotta and Strawberry Stuffed Caramelized French Toast is about to change your brunch game forever. Honey sweetened whipped ricotta, fresh sliced strawberries, stuffed between two slices of crispy caramelized challah toast. I’m telling you, this recipe is extravagant in the absolute best way possible. Mother’s Day is right around the corner (how are we already almost halfway through April?!), and this is the perfect brunch treat to make for all the mama and mom figure’s in your life!
I’ll admit that this recipe is more of a “nourish your soul” rather than a “nourish your body” kinda dish. But your soul definitely needs to be nourished every now and then. And the fresh strawberries certainly add some beneficial nutrient value, as well as the protein from the eggs and the ricotta. So you’re still nourishing your body a bit too!
We’re truly getting into springtime now, and I’ve been really loving incorporating fresh spring produce into my recipes recently. Hard to find a fruit that screams ‘spring’ more than the strawberry! Strawberries aren’t overly sweet, so they’re a really light and fresh balance to the decadent caramelized challah, and they pair perfectly with the creaminess of the whipped ricotta.
Speaking of the whipped ricotta. I love how versatile this cheese can be. On its own it’s quite mild, so I decided to sweeten it just a touch with a little bit of honey. Whipping it makes it both airy and creamy in such an irresistible way.
The caramelized challah bread is really what brings this recipe home. Thiiiick cuts of bread is the key. Dipped in egg and cinnamon, and pan-fried just like your traditional french toast. Honestly, you could leave it at this step and it would be excellent as well. HOWEVER, we are taking things up a notch. Coating that french toast in sugar, and then tossing it back on the pan to get the sugar nice and caramelized just elevates the dish to another level.
Spread the ricotta and strawberries on one piece of toast, and sandwich another slice on top. Sprinkle a few extra slices of strawberries on top and voila. A perfect brunch plate ready to be served with a glass of fresh squeezed OJ. Or a mimosa, embrace that brunch life.
If you do give this Ricotta and Strawberry Stuffed Caramelized French Toast a try, be sure to comment below and/or tag me on Instagram and let me know how you like it! I really love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for stopping by!
Take Care xx
Slim
Ricotta and Strawberry Stuffed Caramelized French Toast
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 loaf of challah bread, cut into 8 slices ~1 inch thick
8 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ½ tsp cinnamon
Ghee for cooking
½ cup sugar
1 cup ricotta cheese (part-skim or full fat work)
2 tbsp honey
16oz container of strawberries, rinsed and sliced
Instructions
Heat the ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon until pretty well combined. Might be a little uneven, but that’s okay. Place the sugar in another shallow bowl, set aside.
Dip the challah bread in the egg mixture and flip, coating both sides. Place the soaked bread onto the hot pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes and then flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Should be a nice golden brown.
Remove the toast from the skillet, place in the sugar and flip, coating both sides. Place the coated toast back in the skillet and cook for an additional 1 minute on each side, or until the sugar is nice and caramelized. Careful not to burn it. Remove from skillet and set aside. Repeat for all slices of challah.
To make the whipped ricotta, place the ricotta and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a whisk head, whisk together on high for about a minute.
Spread the ricotta on half of the pieces of french toast, add the strawberries on top of the ricotta, and then place the remaining pieces of toast on top of the filling, sandwiching the two pieces together. Top with additional strawberries and serve immediately!
