A Breakfast Valentine

by Dana Jacobi

The sauce for this version of French toast can be made a few days ahead. The toast can too, if you prefer reheating already cooked and frozen toast just before breakfast. However, use a toaster or toaster oven and not a microwave oven, which will result in soggy toast and poor flavor.

The fruit and the filling for this cherry-stuffed French toast make it uniquely different. And a few clever techniques explained in the recipe below make this version easy to prepare. First, you cut out circles from the center of the bread slices with a cookie cutter. Then you cut up the circles and mix them with fruit to make the “stuffing” for the French toast. The stuffing and the bread slices are soaked separately in an egg mixture. At the beginning of the frying process, both are combined in the skillet. The result is moist French toast studded with fruit and flavored with spice all the way through - a special breakfast treat for a special day.

Cherry-Stuffed French Toast with Cherry Sauce - Makes 4 servings.

1 package (10 oz.) frozen dark cherries, defrosted
1/2 cup dark cherry (sugar-free) fruit spread
2 tsp. cornstarch, dissolved in 1 Tbsp. cold water
1/3 cup dried sour cherries
1/3 cup apple juice
8 slices whole-wheat bread
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup skim (fat-free) milk
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. canola oil

Place defrosted cherries in a blender or food processor and reduce to a rough purée. Transfer to a small saucepan, mix in the jam and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir cornstarch/water mixture to recombine and stir into the cherry mix. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, cover and set aside while making French Toast. (The sauce can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.)

Combine dried cherries and apple juice in a small bowl. When the fruit is plump, squeeze out excess moisture and coarsely chop. Set aside fruit and discard the juice.

Using a small, round cookie cutter (or fingers), remove the centers from bread slices, leaving about a 1/2-inch of bread inside the crust. Transfer slices to a shallow, flat container. Tear the circles into small pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Mix in the chopped cherries.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in milk, zest, and vanilla. Pour half over the bread/cherry mixture and mix with a fork until combined. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread slices, and let stand until liquid is absorbed.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add the bread slices. (If the skillet holds less that 8 slices, cook the French Toast in batches, keeping each batch warm until all are cooked.) Fill in the empty centers of bread slices with spoonfuls of the filling, pressing down with the back of the spoon to firmly pack the mixture. Brown the bread on one side, 3 to 4 minutes, then carefully turn to brown the second side. Meanwhile, heat cherry sauce over low heat until very warm. Serve French Toast with the warmed sauce.

Per serving: 441 calories, 12 g. total fat (2 g. saturated fat), 72 g. carbohydrate, 13 g. protein, 6 g. dietary fiber, 390 mg. sodium.