Pumpkin French Toast Stuffed with Blackberry-Caramel Mascarpone
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1429
- Total Fat
- 89
- Saturated Fat
- 47
- Carbohydrates
- 133
- Dietary Fiber
- 8
- Sugar
- 88
- Protein
- 25
- Cholesterol
- 459
- Sodium
- 909
- Total: 1 hr
- Prep: 30 min
- Inactive: 5 min
- Cook: 25 min
Ingredients
Blackberry-Caramel:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup blackberry puree
2 teaspoons blackberry liqueur
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
French Toast:
4 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 3/4 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark rum
8 slices day old challah, sliced 1/2-inch thick
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups mascarpone, at room temperature
1 pint blackberries, halved lengthwise
Confectioners' sugar
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Directions
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over high heat and cook, without stirring, until amber brown, about 8 minutes. Slowly whisk in the warm cream, blackberry puree and liqueur and cook until smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Let come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a baking sheet in the oven.
- Whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt in a large baking dish until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, ground spices, milk, 1/4 cup of the heavy cream, vanilla and rum and whisk until smooth.
- Put 4 slices of the bread in the custard mixture and let sit for 2 minutes. Carefully turn over the slices and let sit until the bread is completely soaked through, about 2 more minutes.
- While the bread is soaking, heat 3 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to sizzle. Cook the 4 slices of the bread until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over and continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Remove to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Wipe out the pan with paper towels and repeat the process with the butter, oil and remaining 4 pieces of bread.
- Combine the mascarpone and remaining 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a bowl and using a stand mixer or hand-held mixer, beat until fluffy and smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and fold in a few tablespoons of the blackberry-caramel sauce. Put the sauce into a small saucepan over low heat and heat or put it in the microwave for a minute or so to just warm through.
- Remove the French toast from the oven and arrange them on a serving platter. Top 4 slices of the toast with a large dollop of the blackberry-caramel mascarpone and some of the blackberries. Cover with the remaining 4 pieces of toast and drizzle each with some of the warm blackberry caramel sauce. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, garnish with fresh mint sprig and serve.