Summer is in full swing here in the Pacific Northwest. The days are long and sunny, with none of the cloudy gloom that’s so characteristic of the Seattle area for the majority of the year. I always feel like I need to savor every one of these warm, sunny days. We see them so rarely in this corner of the world that you really need to take advantage of every one. It’s been tougher this year, with everything going on in the world. One way that I’ve tried to make the days a little sweeter is with home cooked weekend brunch. Recently, I made this French Toast with Whipped Mascarpone and Summer Berries. It really brightened my Saturday morning. I hope it can do the same for you!
I really enjoy the whipped mascarpone in this recipe for it brings a really delicious creaminess to the toast. To make it, just whip together mascarpone, heavy cream, and a bit of honey. Any leftover whipped mascarpone goes great with fresh fruit as a summery dessert!
For the berries, just use your favorite seasonal berries. If you’d like, you can use other types of fruit as well! For example, stone fruit, such as cherries, nectarines, or peaches, would also be lovely with this. Bonus points if you find fresh fruit local to your area! One of my favorite parts of summer is being able to shop at my nearby Farmer’s Market.
When I make French Toast, I always try to find a crusty artisan loaf. I find that a more substantial bread holds up really well to create the best French Toast. I also enjoy using bread with a light sourdough flavor. Again, bonus points if you can find bread from a local baker.
Related Recipes
If you enjoy this French Toast with Whipped Mascarpone and Summer Berries, give these recipes a try:
For a savory brunch dish, try this Quiche with Caramelized Onions, Roasted Cauliflower, and White Cheddar. I’m of the opinion that every brunch should have both a sweet and savory element!
However, maybe you’d like a breakfast sandwich as your savory brunch option. In that case, try these Asiago Sun Dried Tomato Biscuits. They’ll pair beautifully with eggs, bacon, avocado, and whatever other breakfast sandwich fixins you love!
Finally, if you’d like another summer berry sweet great for breakfast, brunch, or afternoon tea, check out these Mixed Berry Scones.
French Toast with Whipped Mascarpone and Summer Berries
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups mixed berries
- 2 tablespoons honey divided
- 4 ounces mascarpone
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 4-6 slices crusty bread sliced about ½ to ¾ inches thick
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Dash of nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon honey to the mixed berries. Stir together, then set aside.
- Using a mixer, whip together the mascarpone, whipping cream, and 1 tablespoon honey. After whipping for a couple minutes, it should resemble thick whipped cream. Set aside.
- In a shallow dish or bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, and vanilla extract. Soak each piece of bread for at least 30 seconds per side, or until both sides are well saturated in the mixture. I always leave the next pieces of bread in the mixture while I cook my current batch in the pan.
- Heat a large skillet over medium low heat. Add butter to the pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly in the pan. Cook the soaked bread until the egg mixture is golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Top the cooked toast with berries, whipped mascarpone, and maple syrup if desired!
I made this for brunch with my parents, and everyone loved it. Will definitely make again!