In a world that wants us to believe that protein bars and smoothies are the best breakfast option, Nature’s Yoke still celebrates the family classics. The kind of breakfast that hits all the right notes — comfort, deliciousness, filling, nutritious. Plus, a breakfast that encourages family time and conversation at the table or kitchen island. Then, of course, there’s that moment of silence when everyone enjoys their first bite. This recipe has it all. It’s also an easy family breakfast you can make any day, but it’s also has unique qualities that make it perfect for special occasions too!
French toast is one of the most iconic family breakfasts we can think of. Fluffy slices of bread soaked in a creamy, egg-rich custard batter and then cooked to a beautiful golden brown. But that’s not all for this version. No, as we said, we’re taking this family classic to a new level by stuffing two slices of French toast with sweetened cream cheese and blueberries.
Here’s the best part, as the heat from the French toast warms the cream cheese filling, it becomes even soft and creamier. It’s like heaven on a plate.
You’ll enjoy this breakfast with your family down to the last bite.
SECRETS FOR A GREAT FRENCH TOAST
Great quality Nature’s Yoke Free-Range Eggs. Our Legacy or Organic versions are great choices — and if you have family members who are focused on heart health, or you simply want to get more essential fatty acids into your diet, try our Omega-3 Free-Range Eggs for this recipe.
The remaining secrets? Perfectly flavored egg custard, the right bread (we love Brioche for this recipe) and a delicious filling.
WHAT MAKES BRIOCHE BREAD SO GOOD?
Brioche bread was first made in France (a great match for French toast, right?!). More importantly, it’s a very light and airy bread that has a tender crumb and a little sweetness.
The difference between Brioche and traditional bread is the amount of eggs and butter that go into making it. There are more eggs and butter in a Brioche loaf compared to traditional white bread. We may be partial, but we love any recipe that has more eggs, especially when those eggs come from Certified Humane free-range hens like ours do!
The added eggs and butter are what create Brioche bread’s richness. Some recipes also call for a little sugar, and that’s why there’s often a very subtle sweetness in Brioche bread as well. So, we think a light, airy, tender and sweet Brioche makes perfect sense for our Blueberry Stuffed French Toast. We think you will too.
WHAT IS AN EGG CUSTARD?
Definitely don’t be intimidated by the word custard in this recipe. It simply refers to the egg batter you will be soaking your bread in.
The best egg custard starts with high-quality eggs. In fact, the quality of your egg custard is a direct result of the quality of your eggs, especially of their yolks. Do your yolks have that deeper yellow color? If so, it can be a sign of an egg with higher nutrient density which, in turn, makes for a rich egg custard.
As an aside, Nature’s Yoke is all about supporting communities, neighborhoods and families — and our farmers think of our free-range hens as part of their family, and treat them as such. It makes a difference because happy hens live a low-stress life and that, combined with the time they spend outdoors in pasture-like areas plus the face that they are Certified Humane results in higher-quality eggs. Again, eggs that are more nutrient dense.
So, you’re off to a great start if you use one of Nature’s Yoke Free-Range Eggs. However, this custard needs a little more:
First, we add milk to thin the eggs out a bit, plus a little sugar to sweeten just a tad. Then come the spices. We chose cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, as well as vanilla extract (just remember that a tad goes a long way, and it makes all the difference). Give it all a brisk whisk and you are good to go.
BLUEBERRY STUFFED FRENCH TOAST TIPS
The best tip we can give you for this recipe is to create it using an approach that’s a bit like an assembly line. For example, have your blueberries washed and dried beforehand, and make your cream cheese filling and egg custard ahead of time too.
Also, consider supporting your community by buying local fresh quality ingredients. Your local family-owned bakery likely makes Brioche bread and you can buy your blueberries from a farm stand. You can also swap out the blueberries for a different fruit if they’re not in season.
TOPPINGS
We topped our Blueberry Stuffed French Toast with honey. However, maple syrup is another good choice and a dusting of powdered sugar would be equally delicious.
Blueberry Stuffed French Toast
Ingredients
French Toast
- 8 slices Brioche bread (or good quality white bread)
- 4 Nature's Yoke Free-Range Eggs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- oil for pan
Cream Cheese Filling
- 2 8oz packages of cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pint fresh blueberries (washed and dried)
Instructions
- Make the egg custard by whisking together the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg and ginger. Set aside.
- Make the cream cheese filling by creaming the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract together in a stand mixer or with a hand-held mixer. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
- Starting with one slice of bread at a time, soak the slice in the egg custard and then flip over to soak the second side. You want the bread to absorb the custard, but not fall apart.
- Scrape off any extra egg custard from the bread on the side of the bowl.
- Gently lay soaked bread into a sauté pan and cook until golden brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set on a tray or platter when finished
- Once the bottom halves of the French toast are done, generously spread the cream cheese mixture evenly between the four slices.
- Gently press generous amounts of blueberries into the filling.
- Finish sautéing the final four slices of French toast and lay on top of the filled slices. Each serving should resemble a cream cheese sandwich.
- Serve with honey, maple syrup or powdered sugar.
