If you’ve ever lived in Philly, it’s entirely likely that you’ve enjoyed the stuffed French Toast (i.e. delightful bricks of challah, cream cheese, fruit, and maple syrup *lakes*) that are served up at Sabrina’s Café. The challah is thick and golden and perfectly french-toasted (i.e. not-at-all soggy). The cream cheese filling–I personally prefer banana cream cheese filling–is laden with bananas, speckled with cinnamon, and thickly layered.
The first time I went to Sabrina’s was the day after a painful all-nighter and exam that pretty much kicked me while I was down. Needless to say, this stuffed french toast was immediately the best thing in my life. If you’re sad, down-trodden, stressed, or just plain tired, this french toast will pick you up and make you right again.
Of course, I made it my personal mission to create a copycat recipe and, after two and a half years of tossing french toast-related ideas around in my subconscious–This. Is. It. Without further ado, Sabrina’s Café copycat stuffed french toast!
Stuffed French Toast: Recipe Instructions
Start by making the filling. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, stir the cream cheese and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). When the cream cheese is nice and fluffy, slice one and a half of your bananas and mix into the cream cheese mixture. Reserve the last banana half for later. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
Next, prep the egg mixture. Beat together the eggs, half-and-half, milk, and another 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a shallow dish. Slice your challah from the center into four 1 1/2-inch thick slices. Save the ends for whatever your heart desires! (Or you can eat it by the fistful until it’s gone as I usually do…)
Divide the cream cheese mixture in half and spread evenly on two slices of challah. Top with the remaining slices of challah so you have two challah cream cheese sandwiches. They will be big, and this is the point when dieters will make horrified faces and close this tab–but for the rest of you, carry on!
Quickly roll your first challah sandwich in the egg mixture, being sure to coat the entire thing evenly. Don’t let it sit for too long though! We don’t want the challah to be soaked through.
Heat a cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Melt a tablespoon of your butter in the pan to coat, and carefully place the first sandwich in the pan. Brown the french toast on all sides (including the edges), making sure to keep the heat at medium or medium-high. You don’t want it to cook too fast, as the challah needs to get warmed through. The whole process takes around 10 minutes. Repeat the process with the second sandwich.
Cut each stuffed french toast in half (the recipe serves four). Top with the reserved banana, sliced, along with maple syrup and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Stuffed French Toast
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese (225g)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (divided)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup half and half (120 ml)
- 1/2 cup milk (120 ml)
- 1 loaf challah
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Maple syrup
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Start by making the filling. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, stir the cream cheese and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). When the cream cheese is nice and fluffy, slice one and a half of your bananas and mix into the cream cheese mixture. Reserve the last banana half for later. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Next, prep the egg mixture. Beat together the eggs, half-and-half, milk, and another 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a shallow dish. Slice your challah from the center into four 1 1/2-inch thick slices. Save the ends for whatever your heart desires! (Or you can eat it by the fistful until it's gone as I usually do...)
- Divide the cream cheese mixture in half and spread evenly on two slices of challah. Top with the remaining slices of challah so you have two challah cream cheese sandwiches. They will be big, and this is the point when dieters will make horrified faces and close this tab--but for the rest of you, carry on!
- Quickly roll your first challah sandwich in the egg mixture, being sure to coat the entire thing evenly. Don't let it sit for too long though! We don't want the challah to be soaked through.
- Heat a cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Melt a tablespoon of your butter in the pan to coat, and carefully place the first sandwich in the pan. Brown the french toast on all sides (including the edges), making sure to keep the heat at medium or medium-high. You don't want it to cook too fast, as the challah needs to get warmed through. The whole process takes around 10 minutes. Repeat the process with the second sandwich.
- Cut each stuffed french toast in half (the recipe serves four). Top with the reserved banana, sliced, along with maple syrup and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
nutrition facts
I went to Philly in 2015 and tried Sabrina’s French toast. I remember I said outloud that it tasted like clouds in heaven.
I have been dreaming about them since!!
I made a Challah bread today in order to try this recipe tomorrow!! So excited! Thank you so much for bringing back amazing memories!
Sorry I missed your comment, Viviana! I hope you loved it :)
The fact that you copied Sabrina’s recipe is exactly why I’m going to make this!! I’m so sad that I discovered them after I moved to Florida… it’s probably for the best, because otherwise I’d live there eating the French toast! I can’t wait to try it out.
Hahah thanks so much, Ariel! Hope it brings back syrup-soaked memories of carby goodness :)
This looks absolutely delicious! I’m going to bookmark so that I can make later for my birthday brunch!
DEFINITELY worthy of a birthday brunch, Deanna! Hope it’s coming up soon! :)
Thank you for this decadent treat: it is pure sin indeed and it is beautifully written!
If I may add to this perfect recipe, I would share with you a few tips I use for French toasts. I often use vanilla seeds instead of cinnamon for a softer yet potent flavor. And to make sure the egg mixture is well cooked, I brown the French toasts in butter to give them a lovely color and then sprinkle them with sugar before baking them in a warm oven for 5 minutes. This last step makes the egg mixture puff up like soufflé and the sugar camarelize with the butter. Yummy!!!
PS: I am a total fan of your blog, it is great and your genuine passion for food contagious. Bravo to you!
Hi Ella, Wow amazing tips!!! We’ll try this next time we make french toast! Thanks for reading and cooking :D
Stuffed French Toast – The Woks of Life is an excellent piece of writing,
I’m sharing with my pals.
Thanks Pete! :)
first time making a comment, all I can say is WOW.
Thank you, Joey, and we really appreciate your “WOW”. ^_^
very delicous <3 like it
Thank you! ^_^
Oh my, this looks positively sinful. Now I want to visit Philly just so I can try this french toast first hand!
hi Claire! It’s REALLY GOOD. And their maple syrup lake is even bigger than ours. The crazy part is that when you get towards the end, you have to actually stop yourself from asking for just a leeeetle more.
Challah + cinnamon + cream cheese = 3 of my favourite “c” words. This recipe looks divine!
hahaha 4 if we count “cheese”!