Hazelnut Cocoa French Toast Sandwiches

Heat oven to lowest setting and place a baking sheet on the middle rack. Stir mascarpone or cream cheese with a spatula until soft then stir in chocolate-hazelnut spread, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Spread mixture evenly among 6 slices of the bread then top with remaining 6 slices and lay “sandwiches” in a pan or dish large enough to fit them all snugly.

Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, sugar, remaining salt, and remaining vanilla until eggs are broken up and evenly blended. Pour over sandwiches and set aside until the majority of the custard has been soaked up, about 5 minutes. Rotate or flip sandwiches as needed to evenly coat.

Melt butter over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add two sandwiches to the pan. Fry until golden brown on one side, flip with a spatula, and fry the other side. When sandwiches are finished, move them to oven while the rest are cooking. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, transfer the French toast to a plate, and serve toped with hazlenuts, maple syrup, and whipped cream, as desired.