Berry sauce: Add 1 cup berries, lemon juice and granulated sugar to a pot. Bring to a low boil and cook for 5-7 minutes, until syrupy. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining cup of berries. Allow to cool completely.

Mascarpone Whipped Cream: In a large glass bowl, using a hand mixer with a whisk or beater attachments, beat heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar, mascarpone and vanilla and beat until peaks form. Refrigerate until French toast is ready.

French Toast Batter: Add all ingredients, except the bread, to a blender or to a shallow dish and whisk to combine. If whisking by hand, it's okay if the flour doesn't mix to be completely smooth.

Dip and Rest: Place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Soak bread slices in the egg mixture (for thick, stale bread slices I soak about 20 seconds on each side, to make sure they soak through) and place them on baking tray to rest for about 5 minutes until evenly soaked through.

Meanwhile preheat griddle to 350 degrees F and heat a skillet over medium heat.

Cook: Grease hot griddle with butter and place brioche slices on hot pan. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until the outer sides are golden and the center is heated through. (alternately for really thick slices, you could cook just 1-2 minutes on each side to get them golden, and finish warming them through in the oven. This is also convenient if cooking french toast for a crowd!)

Serve: Place a thick slice of French toast on a plate. Top with mascarpone whipped cream (pipe with a piping bag, or add a dollop). Spoon berry sauce on top. Garnish with extra fresh berries and fresh mint leaves, powdered sugar, or syrup, if desired.