The Pain Perdu Grilled Cheese

When I started to think about an appropriate grilled cheese sandwich to celebrate Earth Day, I started thinking about my favorite berries (and then dessert... and then chocolate). I decided Pain Perdu or "lost bread" (a style of French toast from France, Belgium and New Orleans) would also be perfect way to make my dessert grilled cheese sandwich tonight.

I started with four slices of chocolate Babka dipped in a simple egg wash. (I was first introduced to "Babka" in Season 5 of Seinfeld. Jerry and Elaine try to buy a chocolate babka to bring to a dinner party. Another couple going to the same dinner party buys the last chocolate babka. Jerry and Elaine must therefore buy a cinnamon babka, which Elaine describes as a "lesser babka.")

I placed the sliced babka on the heated griddler and followed a basic recipe for cooking French toast. I then mixed up some mascarpone cheese with Bailey's Irish Cream. I sliced some strawberries, blueberries and blackberries for between the layers of cheese. I carefully and quickly assembled all the components and grilled the sandwiches for about 30 seconds. Then stacked and served. Happy Earth Day to me!