Toasted Brioche with Poached Berries & Ricotta

At my recent McIntosh & Bowman cheese-making class, one of the cheeses we made was ricotta.

The soft, white cheese is actually made from reheating whey - the liquid that is separated from the curds when cheese is made, thus the name "ricotta", which translates to "twice-cooked".

There are many wonderful things you can do with ricotta -- stuff ravioli, make a cheesecake, bake some cupcakes, or serve it with some poached fruit like I have in this breakfast brioche recipe. I call this dish my "cheat's" French toast. It's simply toasted brioche or challa bread topped with poached strawberries and blueberries and a large dollop of fresh ricotta.

It's divine, easy to prepare and will satisfy that French toast craving.

More Breakfast Recipes

• Blueberry & Buttermilk Pikelets
• Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie
• Apple & Passionfruit Bircher Muesli

Photo: © S. Wongkaew (2009) licensed to About.com, Inc