Apple Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
5 baking apples, about 2 1/4 pounds (peeled, cored and cut into 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick slices)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1 loaf brioche bread or 1 loaf soft French bread, cut into eight 3/4-inch thick slices
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation

In medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, 1/2 t cinnamon and the ginger until combined well; set aside.
In large bowl, toss together apples, granulated sugar and 1 t cinnamon.
In a large nonstick skillet, melt 4 T butter over high heat.
Add apple mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 8 minutes.
Remove from heat.
In a 13-by-9-inch shallow dish, whisk together milk, eggs, and remaining 1/2 t cinnamon; set aside.
Spread a heaping 1/4 cup cream-cheese mixture onto each of 4 bread slices.
Top each with 2 T nuts and 6-8 apple slices.
Cover with remaining 4 bread slices to make sandwiches.
Soak 2 sandwiches at a time in milk-egg mixture 5 minutes per side.
Add maple syrup to remaining apples in skillet and stir to combine.
Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 1 T oil and 1 T butter to pan.
Add 2 sandwiches and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes.
Repeat with remaining 1 T oil, 1 T butter and the sandwiches.
Cut sandwiches in half and serve immediately topped with apples in syrup.
Garnish with toasted nuts, if desired.