There is something special about a beautiful jar of jam.
A raspberry jam is nice. So is strawberry. And I have a total soft spot for citrus marmalades spread onto buttery croissants. But while all of these are undoubtedly delicious, they’re also predictable.
But then there is Quince & Apple, a Madison-based producer of small batch preserves whose flavors consistently surprise me. Fig and black tea, shallot confit with red wine, pear with honey and ginger—all packaged in small jars with their signature handwritten labels. While Quince & Apple has a deep bench of popular flavors, they’re continuously experimenting with new ingredients, and that’s how we get to here, today, on the blog.
Quince & Apple recently released a new flavor called Peach and Chamomile. I got my hands on some samples and immediately got to thinking—what can be done with this jar of perfection? There is the dare-I-say obvious route of getting it in your mouth via scone or croissant, or the other go-to method of serving it alongside a cheese plate.
Both of these are perfectly acceptable, but you don’t need me to do those things. And if anything, I want you to need me.
So I decided to make something else with this Peach and Chamomile jam. I paired it with mascarpone cheese—my favorite—and stuffed it between two pieces of challah. Then I dipped the sandwich in some batter, cooked it until it was nice and brown on both sides, and topped with a little bit of syrup and more jam.
And that’s how I ended up with stuffed french toast.
There is no additional sugar in the recipe, the sweetness of the jam and bread shine through. And don’t fear, the subtleties of the chamomile still come right through. And they are lovely.
Stuffed french toast is a simple and scrumptious meal to make for a group, and with the holidays coming up, I know you’ll be spending time with groups. I recommend you check out the Qunice & Apple shop and pick out a couple flavors that pique your interest. You can choose individual jars of jams or go with some of their pre-assembled gift boxes.
And speaking of gift boxes, they really are the perfect hostess gift for the holidays. (I personally want the savory box, which comes with a hunk of ‘nduja sausage from Underground Meats! More deviled eggs, you guys.) There you go, I just gave you breakfast and gift ideas in one post. You’re welcome.
- 3 ounces mascarpone cheese
- ¼ cup Quince & Apple's Peach and Chamomile Jam, plus more for serving
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of Kosher salt
- 8 pieces challah or brioche, sliced ½ inch thick
- 2 tablespoons butter
- a handful of blackberries or other berry (optional)
- maple syrup (optional)
- In a small bowl, mix together mascarpone cheese and jam.
- In a larger bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- Spread mascarpone and jam mixture evenly on four pieces of challah, leaving a little bit of space around the edges. Top with remaining bread slices.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large pan over medium heat. Meanwhile, dip sandwiches in batter and hold for about 5 seconds. Flip and soak on other side for 5 seconds. Quickly transfer the sandwich to the pan and cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes, until nicely browned.
- Transfer stuffed french toast to plate and top with maple syrup, blackberries, and more jam.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was compensated to create recipes for Quince & Apple. As always, I only work with products I use myself and all opinions are my own. Thanks for continuing to support Things I Made Today!
2caroline
writes 2marilyn