Description

This Pistachio Cherry Cream Stuffed French Toast is a decadent twist on a breakfast classic. Cream cheese is blended with frozen cherries, honey, cherry juice, salt, and crunchy pistachios to create a luscious filling, then sandwiched inside thick slices of challah bread. After chilling, the stuffed bread is soaked in a rich cinnamon-vanilla custard and pan-fried to golden perfection. Served with powdered sugar, chopped pistachios, and maple syrup, this recipe offers a perfect balance of creamy, tart, nutty, and sweet flavors for an indulgent morning treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Filling

8 ounces Cream Cheese
16 ounces Frozen Cherry (thawed)
3 tablespoons Honey
2 tablespoons Cherry Juice
1 pinch Salt
1/4 cup Pistachios, chopped

Bread and Custard Mixture

1 Challah Bread
1 cup Milk
1 cup Heavy Cream
3 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Salt

For Cooking and Serving

Unsalted Butter, to taste
Powdered Confectioners Sugar, to taste
Maple Syrup, to taste
Additional chopped Pistachios, for garnishing

Instructions

Prepare the filling: In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, thawed frozen cherries, cherry juice, honey, a pinch of salt, and chopped pistachios. Mix thoroughly until the mixture becomes a light violet hue and the ingredients are evenly combined.
Slice and stuff the bread: Cut the challah bread into 8 slices. Carefully slice each slice lengthwise down the middle to create a pocket without cutting all the way through. Generously stuff each pocket with the prepared cherry cream filling.
Chill the stuffed bread: Place the stuffed challah slices on a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze for about 30 minutes to allow the filling to firm up and set inside the bread.
Prepare the custard mixture: In a shallow dish, whisk together milk, heavy cream, eggs, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
Soak the stuffed bread: Dip each stuffed challah slice into the custard mixture, turning occasionally to ensure the bread soaks up enough liquid. Given the thickness of the slices, allow ample soaking time for best results.
Cook the French toast: Heat a heavy-duty skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Melt a pat of unsalted butter in the skillet, spreading it around. Place two soaked slices in the skillet at a time and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on the first side until golden brown.
Flip and finish cooking: Flip the slices and cook for an additional 3 minutes on the other side. Transfer cooked slices to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 250°F oven while you cook the remaining slices.
Serve: Dust the finished French toast with powdered confectioners sugar, sprinkle with additional chopped pistachios, and serve with maple syrup. Enjoy your rich and indulgent Pistachio Cherry Cream Stuffed French Toast!

Notes

Using challah bread adds a rich, slightly sweet flavor and sturdy texture ideal for stuffing and soaking custard.
Chilling the stuffed bread helps keep the filling intact during soaking and cooking.
Adjust soaking time to ensure the bread is well-saturated but not falling apart.
If frozen cherries are unavailable, fresh or thawed frozen tart cherries can be used instead.
For a nut-free variation, omit pistachios and substitute with additional cherries or a different nut like almonds, if not allergic.
Keep cooked French toast warm in a low oven to serve all slices hot and fresh.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Method: Frying
Cuisine: American

Keywords: French toast, stuffed French toast, pistachio, cherry, cream cheese, breakfast, brunch, stuffed challah, sweet breakfast