This strawberry stuffed French toast is made with whipped mascarpone, fresh strawberries, and thinly sliced Italian bread, and is perfect for breakfast or brunch!

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast with Mascarpone Whipped Cream

Guys, the calendar did a thing.

It changed from February to March.

That's right-- it's SPRING!

Technically it's not spring until March 19th, but I'm rolling with it. Today was warm and sunny, and things are looking up.

Summer (and my vegetable garden) will arrive any day (or week, or month). And I'm beyond ready.

To celebrate spring, I decided to revisit this strawberry stuffed French toast recipe. It was one of the first recipes published on Champagne Tastes, and even though it was delicious as it was, I knew it could be even better.

Over the years, I've been practicing my French toast skills. In other words, I've been eating and cooking massive amounts of French toast.

I love classic French toast (like this coconut French toast), French toast casseroles (like this apple French toast bake or this pumpkin French toast bake), and of course, I've been testing different versions of stuffed French toast, like this pumpkin stuffed French toast.

This (updated) strawberry stuffed French toast is perfect for brunch, can be (partially) prepared ahead of time, and feels oh-so-fancy even though it's actually pretty easy to make.

Can I Add Rhubarb to This Stuffed French Toast?

You sure can!

Originally, this recipe included rhubarb. And it's delicious with rhubarb, but guys-- it takes so much longer to make this when you add rhubarb.

And that means that I rarely made this stuffed French toast. So now, it's a little simpler, faster, and easier.

That said, if you're a rhubarb fan and want all the rhubarb, you can have it!

Simply add a thin layer of rhubarb compote to the mascarpone and strawberry filling. If you'd rather buy a rhubarb filling, add a little of this Bonne Maman rhubarb jam.

Start With Toasted Bread

French toast is best with stale bread.

If your bread is soft and fresh, start by toasting it in the oven for about five minutes. If your bread is stale, skip this step.

Does It Matter What Kind of Bread I Use?

You can use whatever soft loaf of bread you want, but make sure to use thin slices of bread. You'll be serving two slices of bread together, so it's better if they're thin.

I use a pre-sliced Italian loaf from the grocery store bakery.

How to Make Mascarpone Whipped Cream

This French toast is stuffed with strawberries and mascarpone whipped cream.

To make the mascarpone cream, simply add mascarpone, whipping cream, and a little powdered sugar to a cold bowl. Use an electric mixer, and beat on high until it's creamy.

It should look like the photo below.

Whip the mascarpone, whipping cream + powdered sugar — Whip the Mascarpone, Whipping Cream + Powdered Sugar

I Can't Find Mascarpone. Can I Use a Different Cheese?

Yes, absolutely!

I usually find mascarpone cheese with the gourmet cheese at the grocery store, but where I live, Kroger carries it and Walmart doesn't.

If you can't find mascarpone, you can swap it for either cream cheese or ricotta (or homemade ricotta!).

Make the Stuffed French Toast Sandwiches

Spread a layer of whipped mascarpone on half the bread.

Make sure to leave a thin border of plain bread. The custard will soak into the border and help seal the French toast sandwiches together.

Top the mascarpone with sliced strawberries.

Spread mascarpone on the remaining bread slices, and then top the other slices to create sandwiches.

Set the sandwiches aside while you whisk together the French toast custard.

Set the sandwiches inside a casserole dish, and pour the custard over the sandwiches.

Let the sandwiches sit for about ten minutes. While they soak, preheat a skillet or pan.

Cook Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

Melt butter in a large cast-iron pan or a pancake skillet. I use a 12″ cast-iron skillet.

Use a slotted spatula to transfer the sandwiches from the custard to the pan. Try to drain off a little of the custard liquid before setting the sandwiches in the pan.

Grill the strawberry stuffed French toast for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until both sides are golden and delicious.

Serve this stuffed French toast with extra strawberries, the remaining mascarpone whipped cream, and some honey or maple syrup.

Drizzle a little honey or maple syrup over your toast, and dig in immediately to this decadent spring breakfast!

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5 from 11 votes