Chocolate-Cherry Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:

•	Crisco® Butter Flavor No-Stick Cooking Spray
•	1 can Pillsbury® refrigerated crusty French loaf
•	1/2 cup coconut milk (from 13.66-oz can)
•	1 1 LAND O LAKES® Egg
•	1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
•	1 tablespoon sugar
•	1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Almond Extract
•	1/2 cup flaked coconut
•	1/4 cup Hershey's® milk chocolate baking chips (from 11.5-oz bag)
•	1/2 cup Fisher® Roasted and Salted Almonds, chopped
•	1 (12 oz.) jar Smucker's® Cherry Preserves
•	3 tablespoons LAND O LAKES® Butter
•
GARNISH, if desired
•	Flaked coconut
•	Fresh mint leaves

Directions:

1	Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with butter flavor no-stick cooking spray. Place dough, seam side down, on cookie sheet. Using sharp knife, cut 5 diagonal 1/2-inch-deep slashes on top of dough. In small bowl, beat together coconut milk and egg. Lightly brush top and sides of loaf with egg mixture; refrigerate remaining egg mixture.
2	Bake 24 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer loaf to cooling rack. Cool 5 minutes.
3	Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and almond extract with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Stir in coconut, baking chips and almonds; set aside.
4	Using sharp bread knife, cut thin slice off each end of loaf; discard. Cut loaf into 8 thick slices. Cut each bread slice crosswise down center to within 1/4 inch of bottom to form pocket. Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons cream cheese mixture into each pocket. Press gently to close.
5	Dip stuffed slices in reserved egg mixture. Spray 12-inch skillet generously with butter flavor no-stick cooking spray. Cook slices over medium-high heat about 4 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown.
6	Meanwhile, in small saucepan over medium heat, stir together cherry preserves and butter until mixture is warm and butter is melted. Serve French toast slices, topped with warm cherry mixture. Garnish with coconut and mint.
	Bake-Off is a registered trademark of General Mills ©2012 / LAND O LAKES is a registered trademark of Land O’Lakes, Inc. / McCormick and the Mc logo are registered trademarks of McCormick & Company, Incorporated, used by permission. / Hershey’s® is a registered trademark of The Hershey Company, Hershey, PA, 17033 / Fisher® is a registered trademark of John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. ©2012