Peach-stuffed French Toast

Okay, so while I am posting one I may as well set one to post tomorrow night. I made this French toast ages ago now but just hadn't gotten around to posting it. 

This recipe required brioche loaf. I haven't been able to buy that where I live. I did consider just using regular bread however I decided that I would have a go at making my own brioche loaf. I had had this recipe bookmarked for ages and it seemed like the perfect time to try it out. It was really easy to make, although the texture of mine was pretty light, airy and cakish. I think this had to do with it being so hot on the day that I made it and the dough rose really quickly. The farm-fresh eggs that I used in it also made the brioche really yellow. It was really good though. 

As for the actual French toast, it was nice but I had trouble stuffing it without the brioche breaking up. Also the 4 cm seemed way too thick and it didn't "compact" down the way that it looked like it did in Bill's picture. I found it incredibly rich and had trouble finishing half of a serve. The peaches and yoghurt were lovely. The brioche was great toasted with some honey on it but I wouldn't go to the trouble of making the French toast recipe again. 

Peach-stuffed french toast

serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 kg ripe peaches
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 8 slices of brioche loaf, 1.5 inches/4cm thick
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• yoghurt, to serve

Method

• Blanch peaches for 10 seconds in boiling water then refresh and peel.
• Slice peeled peaches into 1cm slices and toss with lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar.  Leave for 20-30 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, remaining sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in  a bowl.
• With a sharp knife carefully slit open one side of each slice of bread to form a pocket.   Make sure to leave at least 1cm buffer at the edged.
• Stuff the bread pockets with as many peach slices as you can.
• Reserve any leftover peach slices for serving.
• Soak the stuffed bread for 1 minute in the egg mixture, flipping once after 30 seconds to soak both sides.
• Preheat oven to 180C. 
• Heat butter in frying pan over medium heat. Add egg-soaked bread slices to pan to brown on both sides.
• Place on a baking tray and finish cooking in the oven.  Bake for about 12 minutes or until done.
• Serve with leftover peach slices and yoghurt.