Fresh from local fields to your favorite Farmers’ Markets, the season’s colorful fruits add a burst of flavor that lights up every bite.
Photographed by Dottie Rizzo
Ingredients
1 loaf challah or braided brioche
bread, sliced into 1 inch thick slices
1 jar blackberry preserves
6 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups whole milk
16 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract zest of
1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/2 cup heavy cream Powdered sugar and maple syrup, for serving
Preparation
Grease a deep medium sized baking dish with butter.
Slice each piece of bread in half, cutting almost all the way through, but leaving a 1/2 inch at the bottom.
Spread blackberry jam inside the cut, then press to close.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 cup ricotta, maple syrup. vanilla, lemon zest, salt, and butter.
Submerge each piece of bread into the egg mixture, allowing the bread to sit a minute and soak up the eggs.
Arrange the bread in the prepared baking dish.
Pour 1/4 cup of the remaining egg mixture over the bread slices. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Sprinkle half of the blackberries over top the toast, transfer to the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the French toast is golden and crisp.
If the tops of the bread begin to brown too quickly, loosely cover
the French toast with foil. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the remaining 1 cup ricotta.
Stir in 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, if desired. Top warm toast with whipped ricotta, fresh berries, and maple syrup.
