Pumpkin Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast

1. Make the cheesecake filling.
   Beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, cinnamon, and salt until completely smooth and creamy.

2. Stuff the brioche.
   Using a small sharp knife, make a small slit in both sides of each of the 8 slices of brioche, creating openings into the center of the bread without cutting all the way through.
   Transfer the cheesecake filling to a plastic zip-top bag and snip off one corner to create a simple piping bag. Pipe the cheesecake filling into the slit on both sides of each slice, dividing the filling evenly among all 8 pieces. Filling from both sides helps distribute the cheesecake throughout the entire slice instead of concentrating it in one spot.

3. Make the custard.
   In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown butter pumpkin heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla bean paste, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until well combined.

4. Dip the French toast.
   Dip each stuffed slice into the custard, coating both sides. Let the brioche soak briefly so it absorbs some of the custard without becoming overly saturated.

5. Cook.
   Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the stuffed French toast for about 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown and warmed through.
   Work in batches as needed, adding more butter to the skillet between batches.

7. Make the optional graham cracker crumble.
   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and cinnamon until evenly coated.
   Spread onto a small baking sheet and bake for 7–9 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool completely—the crumble will become crisp as it cools.
8. Serve.
   Serve warm with maple syrup and a generous dollop of homemade whipped cream. Finish with the graham cracker crumble and powdered sugar, if desired.

Notes:

• Brown Butter Pumpkin Heavy Cream: This is what inspired the entire recipe. I used it in the French toast custard and then used the remaining heavy cream to make homemade whipped cream for serving.
  
• Stuffing the Brioche: I made a small slit in both sides of each slice and piped the cheesecake filling into both openings. This helps distribute the filling throughout the entire piece of brioche. You don’t need a piping bag—I used a plastic zip-top bag and simply snipped off one corner.
  
• Graham Cracker Crumble: Completely optional, but it gives you that little bit of graham cracker flavor and crunch that makes the French toast feel even more like pumpkin cheesecake.
• Cooking: Keep the skillet around medium-low. The brioche is thick and stuffed, so you want to give the center enough time to warm through without browning the outside too quickly.