Raspberry Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup Neufchatel Cheese or 1/3 less fat Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam, seedless if preferred
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 5 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 10 graham cracker sheets crushed, or 3 cups cornflakes, crushed, I've tried and love both
• 10 – 1 1/4 ", one and a quarter inch slices day old french bread
• Vanilla Cream Syrup, for serving
• Sweetened whipped cream, for serving, optional

Directions

Warm a nonstick griddle over medium heat, or set an electric griddle to 325 degrees. In a mixing bowl, mash together the Neufchatel Cheese and raspberry jam with a fork until the mixture is mostly smooth and well blended, with a few tiny lumps perfectly fine; set it aside. Add the buttermilk, milk, eggs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla to a blender, then blend on low for 10 seconds. Transfer that mixture to a shallow bowl and set it aside. Put the crushed graham crackers or corn flakes in a separate shallow bowl and set that aside as well. Cut a pocket into the center of each bread slice, going about 3/4 of the way down so the bread opens like a butterfly but stays attached. Spoon 1 1/2 Tbsp of the raspberry mixture onto one inner side of each slit slice, then press the bread back together very gently. Butter the hot griddle. Dip one side of the stuffed bread into the milk and egg mixture, letting it absorb for a few seconds without dunking the raspberry-filled middle, then turn it over and dip the other side for several seconds. Let the extra custard drip away, then press both sides into the crushed graham crackers to coat. Set the coated bread on the buttered griddle and cook until the first side is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula to lift the french toast, butter the griddle again, then turn it over and cook the second side until golden. Repeat the same dipping, coating and cooking process with the remaining bread slices. Serve the french toast right away with vanilla cream syrup and sweetened whipped cream, if using.