TWO BERRY COMPOTE

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes

This berry compote recipe will be your new favorite go-to for desserts, spooned over pancakes, on biscuits, or drizzled over ice cream. Delicious served hot or cold; keep some in the fridge or make it in a flash. Makes any recipe a little more elegant and you can even use frozen fruit if you must.

1 cup fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries

1 cup fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

¼ cup Chambord liqueur (crème de cassis will also work)

Put the sugar into a saucepan over medium heat for about one minute or until the sugar begins to melt slightly. (Watch it because it will burn quickly!) Add the fruit, lemon juice and zest and toss to coat. Increase the heat slightly and cook and stir for 2 minutes until the sugar is melted and the fruit has broken down slightly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the liqueur. Carefully return to the heat and cook 1 minute more. Allow to cool slightly before using. Will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.

Years ago, I went to Toast in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood for a business meeting with my good friend and wedding planning guru, Lori Stephenson of Lola Event Productions. Lori ordered this decadent looking Mascarpone Strawberry Stuffed French Toast… I didn’t get it but thought about it forever until the next time I had a chance to go back and order it. I don’t live in Chicago anymore, so I've had to create my own version. It is just as good as I remember and doesn’t require a plane ticket or the hassle of parking in Lincoln Park. When I don’t have mascarpone, I just leave it out and use a bit of whipped cream on top. Equally decadent and delicious.

Strawberry Marscapone Nutella French Toast. Decadent breakfast or easy dessert? You decide!

STRAWBERRY MARSCAPONE NUTELLA STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

5 large eggs

¾ cup heavy cream

¼ cup orange juice

½ teaspoon orange zest

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

10 slices Challah, Brioche or soft loaf bread

4 ounces Mascarpone cheese, room temperature

8 tablespoons Nutella

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup Confectioners sugar, for dusting

2 cups maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:

Hull and slice the strawberries. Sprinkle with the sugar. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, cream, juice, zest, cinnamon, vanilla and salt.

Spread five slices of bread with the Mascarpone cheese. Spread five slices with Nutella.

Drain the strawberries. Put slices over the Nutella and put the slices together to form 5 sandwiches. Working 1 at a time, dip the sandwich in the egg mixture, letting it sit about 1 minute per side to soak up the egg mixture. Set aside. Repeat.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet or griddle. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the butter has melted, add 2 of the sandwiches and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Repeat. Use a serrated knife to carefully slice in half. Dust with Confectioner’s sugar. Serve with warm maple syrup and a little orange zest.