By Mid-October. The decision is made. Dustin and I are getting married December nineteenth, the Saturday before Christmas, at the Tulsa County Courthouse. Mama will be the witness on my side. Dustin’s parents will be the witnesses on his side. The ceremony will be eleven minutes, the way courthouse ceremonies are eleven minutes. There will be no reception — just a small dinner at the apartment afterward with the parents and Cody and Aunt Linda and Roy.
The whole arrangement is the kind of small low-key formalization that Dustin and I had decided we wanted from the start. Neither of us wanted a wedding. The factory paycheck plus the HVAC apprenticeship paycheck plus the small starter savings does not have room for a wedding. Dustin’s mom suggested we just have a backyard reception in Owasso in the spring; we accepted with the understanding that the spring date is the celebration and the December date is the legal.
Sunday I made double chocolate cherry cheesecake French toast because the apartment had been wanting a celebratory Sunday brunch and the dish is the kind of indulgent-cross-format dessert-disguised-as-breakfast that fits a small private celebration. Brioche stuffed with a cream cheese filling, dipped in a chocolate-cocoa custard, pan-fried, served with cherry compote and chocolate drizzle. Dustin had two thick slices. I had one and a half. The dish was the small Sunday celebration.
Double Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake French Toast
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 slices thick brioche or Texas toast
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup cherry preserves
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- Whipped cream and fresh cherries, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Make the filling. In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Assemble the sandwiches. Spread a generous layer of the cream cheese mixture on 4 slices of bread. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cherry preserves over the cream cheese on each slice. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, then top each with a second slice of bread, pressing gently to seal.
- Make the egg wash. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and cinnamon until fully combined and smooth with no dry cocoa streaks remaining.
- Dip the sandwiches. One at a time, dip each stuffed sandwich into the chocolate egg wash, letting it soak for about 20–30 seconds per side so the bread absorbs the mixture without falling apart.
- Cook the French toast. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook 2 sandwiches at a time for 3–4 minutes per side, until the exterior is set, deeply golden, and the chocolate coating looks slightly crisped. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter for the second batch.
- Serve. Slice each sandwich diagonally and serve warm, topped with whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar, and fresh cherries if you have them. Eat immediately — this is not a recipe that waits.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 520 | Protein: 13g | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 65g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 390mg