Update your brunch menu with this sweet and savoury grilled cheese from Heidi Gibson and Nate Pollak's new cookbook Grilled Cheese Kitchen.

 

Ingredients

• 1 1-lb brioche or challah loaf, cut into 8 thick slices
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp salted butter, melted
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp salted butter, at room temperature
• 4 oz Brie or triple crème cheese, thinly sliced
• 8 ripe strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
• Icing sugar for dusting
• Maple syrup for serving​

Directions

1 Arrange the bread slices on a large baking sheet and let sit to dry out slightly while preparing the other ingredients.

2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla. Add the flour, sugar and salt and whisk to combine. Scrape the batter into a shallow pan, such as a pie dish or cake pan; set aside.

3 Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, or heat an electric griddle to 350°F. When the skillet is hot, nestle two slices of the bread in the batter and let soak for 5 seconds, then carefully flip and soak the second sides for another 5 seconds. Transfer the soaked bread to a clean plate. Melt 1/2 tablespoon of the room temperature butter on the hot skillet and add both slices of the soaked bread. Cook until the first sides are nicely browned and completely dry to the touch, about 3 minutes. Using a wide spatula, carefully turn the bread.

4 While the second sides are cooking, arrange one-quarter of the Brie and one-quarter of the strawberries on top of one slice of bread. When the second sides are nicely browned and the Brie is just softened, use the spatula to transfer the bread with the cheese and strawberries to a platter and gently place the other cooked bread on top. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

5 Place each sandwich on a plate and cut in half. Dust with icing sugar and drizzle with the syrup; serve immediately.

Prep & cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
 

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Excerpted from Grilled Cheese Kitchen by Heidi Gibson and Nate Pollak. Recipes Copyright © 2016 Heidi Gibson and Nate Pollak, Photography Copyright ©  2016 Nate Pollak. Excerpted by permission of Chronicle Books. All rights reserved.