Strawberry cheesecake french toast

FOR a cosy weekend breakfast, you can’t go past this creamy cheesecake french toast with sweet strawberry sauce.

SERVES: 4 PREP: 20 minutes COOK: 20 minutes

Ingredients

3 eggs

¼ cup milk

½ cup pouring cream

250g strawberries, hulled, coarsely chopped ¼ cup caster sugar

200g brioche loaf

30g unsalted butter, chopped

125g spreadable cream cheese

Method

1. Combine cream cheese, 1 tbsp caster sugar and one-third of the strawberries in a bowl. Cut brioche into 8 slices. Spread half the slices with the mixture, leaving a 1cm border around edges. Top with remaining brioche slices.

2. Combine remaining caster sugar and strawberries with 125ml (½ cup) water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until sugar has melted and strawberries break down and form a sauce. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, milk and cream in a large bowl. Place brioche sandwiches in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour egg mixture over sandwiches. Set aside for about 2 minutes to soak. Carefully turn over sandwiches and soak for a further 2 minutes or until the mixture is absorbed.

4. Melt half the butter in a large non- stick frying pan over medium heat until bubbling. Cook sandwiches, in 2 batches, for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden brown. Keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter and sandwiches.

5. Slice the sandwiches and serve with strawberry sauce and a dusting of icing sugar, if you like.