French Toast Stuffed with Orange Spiked Cream Cheese

The first time I had stuffed french toast was as a kid at a little place called Muriel's in Newport RI on a family road trip, and it was much like this with orange spiked cream cheese.  It turned out the Muriel's, a completely chance stop off at a tiny restaurant, was amazing.  We drove a hundred miles out of our way to eat there again, and found out that she'd won the chowder cook off so many years in a row that they asked her to stop competing.  It's been long enough that I don't have an accurate memory of her french toast, but even so I'd put my version up against hers any day.  I like to serve mine with kumquat syrup.

Cream cheese mixture:
8 oz softened cream cheese
2 T sugar
zest of half an orange, grated and finely chopped
2 T triple sec
1/4 t vanilla extract

Mix all of the ingredients together, and allow to blend.  I like to make mine the night before, stick it in the fridge, then soften it again in the morning for use.

French Toast:
2 C half and half
4 eggs
1/2 t vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon
1 T sugar
1 T honey
zest of half an orange, grated and finely chopped
salt to taste

1 large brioche, cut in 3/4" to 1" thick slices
Butter

Combine the ingredients except for the brioche and butter and whisk thoroughly.  Set aside for 15-20 minutes to blend flavors.  With a paring knife cut a slice in the edge of each piece of brioche to allow room to stuff it without going through.  Stuff or pipe each slice with the cream cheese mixture (you don't need a ton of it, just get a fair amount in without tearing the bread).

Soak the stuffed slices of brioche in the custard mixture for 5 minutes, turning once; while this is soaking melt butter in a skillet.  Cook the french toast a couple of pieces as a time until golden brown on both sides.