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Dessert For Breakfast: Cannoli Stuffed French Toast

Like all good Italians, or anyone with taste buds, really, I love me a cannoli. I don't eat them very often, mainly because I'm way too lazy to make the shell from scratch and we live in upstate New York, which isn't exactly a hotbed of Italian bakeries. There are a few in Syracuse and Binghamton and one in Watkins Glen worth checking out, but none of those places are particularly close to us. Therefore, the only time I get my act in gear and make those suckers is around the holidays. It's tradition in my family to leave Santa a cannoli and I don't want to disappoint the big guy.

Here's a twist on that classic Italian delicacy.

This recipe is modified from one by the folks at Two Peas and Their Pod, one of my favorite food blogs out there.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese or cashew ricotta cheese

  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • 2 large eggs or egg substitute, such as Follow Your Heart vegan egg

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or your favorite alternative milk

  • 4 slices French bread

  • 2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter

  • Powdered sugar and cocoa powder for serving

CASHEW RICOTTA CHEESE:

  • 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked.

  • 1/2 cup water.

  • juice of 1 large lemon or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar.

  • 1 – 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional

  • 1 garlic clove.

  • dash of onion powder.

  • himalayan sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste.

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir in the mini chocolate chips. Set aside.

  2. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk the (v)eggs and heavy cream or alternative milk together. Spread 2 slices of the bread with the ricotta mixture, about 1/2 cup per slice. Place the other slices of bread on top and gently press them together. Carefully dip both sides of each sandwich into the egg mixture until well coated.

  3. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the French toast sandwiches and cook until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Cut the sandwiches in half on the diagonal and transfer to plates. Dust with powdered sugar and cocoa powder and serve immediately.

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