Stuffed French Toast with Peach Sauce

INGREDIENTS

8 fresh peaches
1/2 cup sugar
4 pinches nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp sugar
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
8 slices of bread
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp butter

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Peel and pit the peaches, then slice into a heavy saucepan, catching all the juices. Stir in the 1/2 cup of sugar, the nutmeg, the cinnamon, and cook over medium heat until bubbly. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce reaches a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest. Spread cream cheese over 4 of the slices of bread, then top each slice with another slice of bread to form a sandwich.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Briefly soak each sandwich in the egg mixture.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in it, then cook two sandwiches at a time in the skillet, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Set each toasted sandwich on a baking sheet. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and cook the remaining sandwiches the same way. Bake the four sandwiches in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Cut each sandwich in half and serve hot with the warm peach sauce.