Apricot-Stuffed French Toast

  • Prep 55 min
  • Total 1 hr 10 min
  • Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf (8 oz) or 1/2 loaf (1-lb size) day-old French bread
  • 1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup half-and-half or milk
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, if desired
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • Powdered sugar, if desired

Steps

  • 1
    Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
  • 2
    Cut bread crosswise into 12 1-inch slices. Cut a horizontal slit in the side of each bread slice, cutting to--but not through--the other edge.
  • 3
    In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, preserves and lemon peel with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until well mixed. Spread about 2 teaspoons of the cream cheese mixture inside the slit in each bread slice. Place stuffed bread slices in pan.
  • 4
    In medium bowl, beat eggs, half-and-half, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt and nutmeg with fork or wire whisk until well mixed. Pour egg mixture over bread slices in pan, and turn slices carefully to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes but no longer than 24 hours.
  • 5
    Heat oven to 425°F. Uncover French toast and drizzle with melted butter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

  • Why it Works: A Zest for Flavor You might be surprised to learn that the most flavorful part of a lemon is the part you normally throw away: the peel. The yellow part of the lemon peel (called the rind or the zest) contains lemon oil, a powerful concentrate of citrus. Including the zest of the lemon in your cooking adds a refreshing flavor without the acidity of lemon juice. Care must be taken when removing the zest to not remove the bitter white pith that lies just underneath. Although you can use a box grater, the best tool is called a microplane grater (similar to an old-fashioned wood rasp). It grates the zest evenly but avoids scraping the underlying pith.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
310
Calories from Fat
150
Total Fat
16g
25%
Saturated Fat
8g
42%
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
145mg
48%
Sodium
380mg
16%
Potassium
140mg
4%
Total Carbohydrate
32g
11%
Dietary Fiber
1g
5%
Sugars
11g
Protein
9g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
10%
10%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
8%
8%
Iron
10%
10%
Exchanges:
1 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 1 High-Fat Meat; 1 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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