Sweet cream stuffed french toast with cinnamon panko crust

The culinary wheels in my head have been hard at work this week! Ideas and inspiration have been hitting me like a ton of bricks, and I love it! After using half a loaf of french bread to go with dinner last night, I knew that I'd have to use the other half of the bread soon before I forgot about it and it went to waste. I decided that since Owen didn't have school today I could actually make a real breakfast! French Toast was an obvious choice since I had the bread...but what kind?!?!?! Raspberries and cream cheese stuffed with chocolate sauce, or gooey "cinnamon roll" stuffed with cream cheese icing, OR try something new?? I came up with the sweet cream stuffed french toast with cinnamon panko crust, and boy was it good!!


What you'll need:

-Loaf of french bread, unsliced
-Cream cheese, softened (about 3-4 tbsp per serving)
-3-4 tbsp powdered sugar, sifted
-1 egg (1 per two slices of toast)
-1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
-Cinnamon (however much you want to add..I added about 1/4 tsp)
-2 or 3 tbsp butter


Place cream cheese in a bowl and add sifted powdered sugar, mix it well. Cut the french bread on the thick side, then cut a slit along the side of the bread to create a pocket, and fill it with the cream cheese mixture. In another bowl, crack the egg and whisk it with a fork. Put the cinnamon and panko in another bowl, mix it with your fingers. Dip both sides of the bread into the egg, making sure it's evenly coated. Set the bread in the panko and cinnamon and pat crumbs onto both sides of the bread (no need to get the sides because you're not frying this in oil, so it won't get the sides crispy).

Heat a pan over medium-medium/high heat. Add the butter. Once the butter is melted, place the french toast in the pan and let cook for 3-5 minutes until it is golden brown, then flip it to the other side for the same amount of time. When it is done, sift more powdered sugar over the french toast and enjoy!!