Description

This decadent Red Velvet French Toast with Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Filling is a delightful twist on classic breakfast. Soft bread slices soaked in a luscious red velvet custard mixture, fried to golden perfection, and sandwiched with a creamy vanilla bean cheesecake filling. Served with fresh raspberries, this recipe brings a beautiful balance of rich flavors and a visually stunning presentation, perfect for special mornings or brunch.

Ingredients

For the French Toast Custard:

4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar, set aside and allowed to sour for 5 minutes)
2 tablespoons sugar (or natural granulated sweetener)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons red food colouring
8 slices bread (halved to make 16 halves)

For the Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Filling:

8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar (or natural granulated sweetener)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Additional:

Fresh raspberries (1 handful)
Optional: melted chocolate for drizzling
Optional: icing/confectioners sugar for dusting

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Instructions

Prepare the French Toast Custard: In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk (or soured milk), sugar, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and red food colouring until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. For convenience, these ingredients can be blended in a small blender or magic bullet cup before transferring to a shallow bowl.
Soak the Bread: Dip each bread half into the egg wash, pressing lightly to ensure the custard soaks evenly through the bread. Flip and repeat for all slices so that each piece is uniformly coated with the mixture.
Cook the French Toast: Heat a large nonstick skillet or frying pan over low to medium heat. Fry the soaked bread slices in batches of 3 or 4, cooking until just cooked through and golden on each side. Remove the cooked slices and place them on a warmed plate to keep warm.
Make the Cheesecake Filling: While the French toast cooks, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla bean paste in a medium bowl. Whip the mixture until it becomes light and fluffy, creating a smooth cheesecake filling.
Assemble the Sandwiches: Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cheesecake filling onto 6 of the cooked French toast halves. Spread evenly, then top each with the remaining toast halves to form sandwiches.
Serve: Arrange the sandwiches on plates, drizzle with melted chocolate if desired, and dust with icing sugar. Garnish with fresh raspberries on the side for a burst of freshness that complements the rich toast.

Notes

Using buttermilk enhances the tangy flavor typical of red velvet recipes; if unavailable, soured milk is a perfect substitute.
Red food colouring is essential to achieve the bright red hue, but you may reduce the amount if preferred.
Ensure the pan is at a low-medium heat to avoid burning the custard on the outside while keeping the inside soft.
Reduced fat cream cheese keeps the cheesecake filling lighter but still creamy and delicious.
For a stronger vanilla flavor in the filling, consider adding a bit more vanilla bean paste or extract.
This recipe can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free bread.
For a quicker version, prepare the custard and cheesecake filling the night before.