Honey Oat Bread

This morning I woke up with absolutely no expectations.  Those are the best days because your day is unwritten.  I was thinking about dusting the house; I ended up not doing that. I'll be dusting tomorrow I suppose.  

The weather was favorable so I decided to make some bread. Around the 60s is perfect because it doesn't get too hot in the kitchen.  And I was really impressed with the first rise.  I think I finally perfected this proofing stuff.  My second rise resulted in a favorable proof.  I was very happy with the results today.  Most of the time, I tend to go rogue with recipes, but today, I followed it to a tee.  

I adapted this bread recipe from Laura in the Kitchen.  She has some really great recipes. So I would recommend checking her out.  She has a youtube channel where she shows you step by step how to make things.  It is very helpful.  

If you are craving homemade bread, this is a great one and it is super easy to make.  Your home will smell divine and it will make you smile.  

Honey OaT Bread Print

Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

1-1/3 cup warm water

2 ¼ tsp yeast

¼ cup honey

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

3 cups bread flour

1 cup Old Fashioned Oats

1/3 cup milk powder

2 tsp salt

2 tsp honey

2-3 tbsp oats

Directions:

1. Combine warm water, yeast, honey, and butter in a small bowl and stir.  Let sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.

2. Using a stand mixer bowl, add bread flour, milk powder, salt, and yeast mixture. 

3. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 12 minutes on setting 6-8 or until it comes together. (Start off slowly so you don’t get a flour cloud).

4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and continue to knead until the dough is nice and smooth.

5. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough in the greased bowl, forming the dough into the shape of a ball.  Coat the top with some oil to prevent getting a film on top of the dough. 

6. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm draft free spot and let rise for an hour or until it has doubled in size. 

7. Grease a 9X5” loaf pan with some oil and set aside.

8. Form the dough into a loaf by rolling out the dough into an 8X8 and rolling it like a jellyroll.  Pinch the seams together and place it in the greased loaf pan seam side down.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise for another hour or until it doubles in size. 

9. Lightly brush the top with honey and coat with oats.

10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 40 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Rotate halfway through and if the bread starts to brown before it is done, loosely cover it with foil. Allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.

Citizen Schools

Yesterday, we had the WOW! Spring Showcase 2014.  Over the past few months, Frank and I have been Citizen Teachers for Citizen Schools teaching a Comic Apprenticeship.  This was a very valuable experience that I would recommend.  If you have some expertise and want to give back to youth, this will be a most rewarding experience.

Over the past few months, I have learned a lot from these students. It brings me back to my middle school days and what life was like back then.

Citizen Schools is an after school program targeted at low-income communities, so on top of regular school hours, these students have a supplemental post session.  To learn more about how you can make a difference, click here.

At the end of our apprenticeship, there is a WOW! event in which the students demonstrate what they have learned in their apprenticeship.  Our students created their very own Comic Books.  They have a lot of imagination and some came up with really great stories. I am definitely going to miss seeing their faces!

WOW! Presentation

Comic Book Covers by the students

First Day at Burger King: loved the passion of the comic artist!

Big Foot vs. Chewbaca Part 2: This student made two, I was so impressed!

Robbed: a comic about Bob and Bob.

Chi-Town Shy Guy: graffiti art/sending a message

The Missing Book: very well done, like all the work and though put into this.

Pancake and Attack of the Waffles: Great story, very well done!

I really enjoyed reading their comics and more importantly, I loved how they enjoyed reading each others.

Craft Beer Week in Chicagoland

Whenever it is a nice sunny pleasant day, Frank and I do a lot of walking. So much so that we were both tired from this weekend. We walked to Half Acre on Saturday then checked out this coffee and tea shop and made our way over to Lakeview.  

It's Chicagoland's Craft Beer Week so there are a lot of happenings that Frank wants to check out.  This weekend we went to Metropolitan's Brew Tour.  They are a local brewery in Andersonville specializing in german lagers.  So if you like german lagers, you will most likely appreciated Metropolitan's beers. I surprisingly liked the Arc Welder which is a seasonal beer made during this time of year. Metropolitan runs an operation team of 6 people.  They emphasize "fresh" in their beers, which is commendable.  Typically, Metropolitan Brewing doesn't have any public brewery tour, but since it was craft beer week, we got to check out their space and their beers.

Metropolitan Brewery centerpiece made of industrial/beer part things.

Living out here, there are so many craft breweries that Frank would dare admit that "he gets tired of drinking..." We are fortunate to be so close to the sources and taste the freshness and local releases on tap.  

Metropolitan had these cute robotic statues on tap.

Ouch!

Oh man!  I just had some ice cream and it resulted in an ice cream brutality. The ice cream scooper took a large section of my lips.  So painfully!  I was bleeding like mad.  It still stings!  So don't bother licking or getting that extra bit from the scooper.  It will sting you like a scorpion.

Homemade Bread

Today the weather allowed for baking bread.  It wasn't hot at all, in fact it was quite breezy and a bit nippy.  I decided to make some whole wheat bread because I bought some whole wheat bread flour at Whole Foods.  I also wanted to see the difference using whole wheat.  It is suppose to be more nutritious than white bread.  

I adapted my recipe from Laura In the Kitchen's YouTube channel.  She has some pretty solid recipes. I substituted 1 tbsp of vegetable shortening for 3 tbsp of flax meal.  In the future, I might not use any vegetable shortening and just use all flax meal.  I think the vegetable shortening really made it easy for the dough to come together though.  I was also thinking about using 1 cup of oat flour and 3 cups whole wheat flour instead of using all whole wheat flour.  This way it adds even more grains and fiber. Chia seeds also sounds like a great idea.  

Whole wheat breads are not light and airy, they are more dense than white bread.  They will most likely make you feel fuller longer compared to white bread. I been craving a peanut butter sandwich, so I am exciting to try it out on this creation.

Whole Wheat Bread Print

Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

1-1/3 cup warm water

2 ¼ tsp yeast

1 tsp sugar

¼ cup honey

2 tbsp vegetable shortening, melted

3 tbsp flax meal

4 cups whole wheat bread flour

1/3 cup milk powder

2 tsp salt

2-3 tbsp oats (optional)

1 tsp honey (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl.  Let sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.  Add shortening and honey to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. 

2. Using a stand mixer bowl, add whole wheat bread flour, milk powder, salt, and yeast mixture. 

3. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 6 minutes on setting 6 or until it comes together. (Start off slowly so you don’t get a flour cloud).

4. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough in the greased bowl, forming the dough into the shape of a ball.  Coat the top with some oil to prevent getting a film on top of the dough. 

5. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm draft free spot and let rise for an hour or until it has doubled in size. 

6. Grease a 9X5” loaf pan with some oil and set aside.

7. Form the dough into a loaf by rolling out the dough into an 8X8 and rolling it like a jellyroll.  Pinch the seams together and place it in the greased loaf pan seam side down.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise for another hour or until it doubles in size. 

The top 2 pictures are from the first rising, see how it has doubled in size.
The bottom 2 pictures are form the second rising, it has doubled in size.

8. Lightly brush the top with honey and coat with oats (optional).
9. Preheat oven to 350 degree and bake for about 45 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Rotate halfway through and if the bread starts to brown before it is done, loosely cover it with foil. Allow it to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Once cooled, slice away and enjoy!

Getting Old

I threw out my back yesterday.  This has been happening to me pretty often.  I must be getting OLD! Unfortunately, I had an appointment down at the Loop today so I just couldn't lay around. In cases like this, I am thankful for Motrin.  I was able to make it to my Lasik consultation appointment.

I am planning to get the Lasik procedure done in the next few months.  Right now, I am debating which doctor to go with.  It's about $1000 difference in price.  Also the method between the two doctors.  Microkeratome vs. IntraLase.  Both surgeons come very highly recommended.

I am excited to get this procedure done because I won't have to worry about contact lenses, contact solutions and my husband crushing my glasses.  

Red Bean Bread

Earlier today, I made some Red Bean Bread.  The past few days, we been eating clean with salads and such.  This was a nice treat.  This bread really isn't unhealthy.  After all it has red bean.  This is a great alternative to cupcakes and cookies.  You still get a little bit of sweetness; its a great compromise.  Plus it makes a great snack or you can have it for breakfast.

Typically, my recipe makes a loaf of bread. Sometimes though, I make 4 little buns and 1 loaf.  That just means, my loaf will be a little smaller since I took one of the sections to make 4 little buns.  If you just wanted buns, then this recipe will yield about 16 little buns. 

Personally, I think the loaf taste better because it has more texture.  I usually divide my dough into 4 parts, thus I will have 4 small sections loafs.  Great for portion control and easy to snack on.  However, you can also just make one section and fill it with red bean paste then roll it up like a jellyroll and you will have bigger swirls of red bean.

If you don't have a stand mixer, you can also use a food processor to get the dough to combine and then knead, and if you have neither, then there is always the old-fashion knead the dough by hand.  

Here's my recipe for Red Bean Bread, it's pretty much like my Hokkaido Milk Bread recipe but with a red bean filling.  

Red Bean Bread Recipe Print
(Makes 1 loaf)

Ingredients:

2½ cups bread flour

4 tbsp sugar  

½ tsp salt

2 tsp active yeast (1/4 oz packet)

1 egg

½ cup milk, warm

½ cup tangzhong, room temp

3 tbsp unsalted butter (cut into small pieces, room temperature)

¾ cup red bean paste

1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp of milk

1 tbsp melted butter (optional)

Tangzhong (water roux): make ½ cup of tangzhong

1/6 cup of bread flour

¼ cup milk

¼ cup water

Let’s make some bread!

1. First, make the tangzhong.  In a saucepan, whisk bread flour, milk and water well.   Heat over medium-low heat.  The mixture will thicken.  Stir consistently to prevent it from burning. Swirly lines will appear and when you have a pudding like consistency (ideally the temperature here is 149°F), take it off the heat.  You can transfer it into a small bowl.  Set aside and cool to room temperature.

2.  In your stand mixer bowl, combine bread flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.  Quickly mix using a dough hook, just to combine.  

3. Add warm milk, egg and tangzhong to the dry ingredients.

4. Knead on medium (6 on the stand mixer) for 5 minutes to let the gluten develop.

5. Decrease to speed to 4 and add in the butter while mixer is still kneading.  Continue to knead for an additional 10 minutes.

6. Once the dough is done kneading, form into a ball and place into a greased bowl.  Cover and let sit in a warm place for 40-60 minutes or until doubled in size.

7. Divide dough into four equal portions and form into the shape of a ball.  This will deflate the dough. Cover and let rest for another 15 minutes.

8. Prepare loaf pan by lightly greasing.  This will make it easier for your loaf to come out.  

9. Now it’s time to form the rolls!  Flour a nice clean working area. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into an oval.  Then fold 1/3 from the top to the middle and 1/3 from the bottom to the middle.  Rotate 90 degrees; roll out with the rolling pin.  Spread 3 tbsp of the red bean paste.  And roll dough like a jellyroll.  Place the roll with seam side down into loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining dough.

The lower left picture is where the filling would be added.

10. Let sit for another 30-60 minutes in a warm place, or until the dough doubles in size. 
11. Preheat oven to 350°F.

12. Brush loaf with egg wash and bake for 30 minutes on center rack.  Rotate halfway through and if the bread browns before it is done, loosely cover it with foil.

13. When done, place on a wire rack and brush the top with melted butter.  This will soften the crust and add some deliciousness.  After 5 minutes, remove from loaf pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Here are the little red bean buns. I put roughly 1 tbsp of the red bean paste and baked them for about 18-20 mins at 350 degrees. If you are planning to make buns, then use about 1 cup of red bean paste and fill with about 1-1/2 tbsp of the filing.

Comic Apprenticeship with Citizen Schools

My apprenticeship with Citizen Schools is coming to a close.  We have about 2 weeks left.  Over the past 2-3 months, Frank and I have been teaching students about comics.  This week the students are working on their final drafts.  I hope at least half of them finish by this week. If not, they will have next week to finish up.  It's WOW! next week, where the students will present their comics to the public.  HOW EXCITING!

The first Saturday of May was FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, where participating comic book stores give out free comics.  We took the students on a field trip to a local comic book store and it was a lot of fun.  We all got on a bus; I've haven't been on a school bus in ages.

First Aid Comics is the local comic shop we visited and it was great!  They had face painting for kids, complementary snacks (churros and cookies, YUM!)  Thanks for the hospitality First Aid Comics! We had a grand ole time and the students had themselves a fantastic and memorable experience.  

May beginnings

Yesterday I was doing a headstand during yoga and I strained my neck pretty bad.  It must be a recurring pain because it is 10 times worse now and has spread along my back/spine area.  I did not take any anti inflammatory meds today and it is very uncomfortable.  I did however use those neck heat pads which helped for the most part of the day until now.

Tomorrow, I have a lot going on.  Frank and I are volunteering at this Health Fair sponsored by the Church we have been attending for the past few weeks.  Then we have  field trip with the Citizen School students.  We are taking them to a local comic book store for Free Comic Book Day.  Then the real fun begins when we pick up our friends at the airport.

I been slacking a bit on my blog these days.  However, I have spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen. I have been experimenting a lot with macaron recipes, buttercream and ganache fillings.  I made some cakes and crepes.  Today, I made some bread.  I must admit, homemade bread is so much more delicious than store bought bread.  If you have the time and patience, I would highly recommend making your own bread.

Honey Oat Bread

Other things that I have been up to include submitting my application for licensure to practice dental hygiene out here.  Once I get that, I will look for a part time job.  It has been really nice not working. It has allowed me to adjust to my new environment favorably.  I have had ample time to cook, bake, and explore the city.  I am thankful that I am able to live this lifestyle thanks to my other half.  It will be nice to start working though and ease into the working world again.

This week I got a special package in the mail.  My cousin is super creative.  This is what she sent me.

The birth announcement of their beautiful daughter, Ava, a wand, and a polaroid asking me to be her fairy godmother.  How cute is that?  

I can't wait to visit her in Seattle.  When she get older, we'll definitely be going to tea.  

Crimson Mussels

The past two nights, Frank and I have been enjoying mussels. We enjoy seafood and we got these mussels for a great deal.  Frank made mussels the first night with a white sauce.  The white sauce is a blend of garlic, onions, butter, white wine and seasonings.  Mussels are often served with a white sauce accompanied with toasted bread.

Frank's Drunken Mussels

I made the mussels with a red sauce.  I have only seen this once at Gilt Bar.  It was delicious, so I wanted to make something similar. I am quite fond of the red sauce.  Here's my Crimson Mussel recipe.

Sheila's Crimson Mussels

Crimson Mussels Print         

Yields: 2-4 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb mussels

6 oz tomato paste

12 oz water

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tomato, diced

1 tbsp cooking oil

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

2 tbsp heavy cream

Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1. Clean mussels very well and set aside.

2. In a medium sized pot on medium heat, add cooking oil, minced garlic, tomato paste, water, diced tomatoes, and seasoning (salt, pepper, and paprika). Mix well.

3. Add heavy cream and incorporate.  Let come to a boil. 

4. Once boiled, add mussels and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve with bread. 

Begyle Brewery

I had an eventful weekend. Frank and I checked out the Begyle Brew Tour.  Their tap room just recently opened a couple months ago and is one of the newer local craft brewers around.  We had a good time learning about their history and taking a tour of their brewery.  They are located in Ravenswood and their platform is all about community.

Our 13oz tulip glasses to sample the beers

1st pour, the porter

My first pour, pale ale, No Erase?

Flannel Pajamas in these barrel to infused whiskey/bourbon flavor into an American Stout, or was it the Imperial?

Being out in the midwest, there are so many craft breweries.  Next weekend, we are going to be touring Finch.

Yesterday, I woke up early to make my husband his oatmeal shake.  He had to go to work early so I rose much earlier than usual.

I decided to make some bread that way when he comes home for lunch, we'll have fresh honey oat bread.  Sadly, it took forever for my bread to proof and took much longer than expected.  In between all that, I watched a bunch of korean dramas and made some matcha macarons.  After making the bread, I made another batch of macarons; this time black lychee.

I was testing out a new recipes. I am not in love with the recipe and think it needs some tweaking.  It still turned out, but my shell could be better.  The frill came out pretty well though.  I will probably play around with some more recipes.  While I was making the buttercream, Frank was so funny and kept doing sit ups in preparation for his macaron consumption. His a darling to have around and loves getting in on the action while I am cooking/baking.

Pains

My back is killing me.  The lower portion!  It's really stiff and makes it hard to stand up.  I did some yoga yesterday.  I don't think that's what threw it out.  I think it was from being crushed and the fluctuating weather.

Saturday was very pleasant aside from the winds.  Sunday got really cold.  And today it continues to be a bit chilly.  I have had a productive Monday thus far.  Laundry check, cleaned the bathrooms check.

I am now in the process of applying for licensure in Illinois so I can start practicing out here.  I am just waiting to get some supporting documents back and then I can send out the application.

For now, I need to buckle down and plan Sophia's wedding.  And random things here and there.  Let's hope I can make some head way this week.

De-stressing

For the past few weeks, I been stressing.  Today, I can breathe a sigh of relief.

New and old

I tried a Kronut today from Uncle's Irving Bagels. They were at the South Pasadena Fatmer's Market. I didn't like it. Perhaps the glaze was too sweet for me. It tasted like a glazed chinese donut to me.

I got out of work early today which was pleasant. The traffic on Thursdays is usually so bad. While at work outside my window theses two guys got in a heated argument over a parking space. It was intense with a lot of yelling and cursing. So not classy. I should have taken a video because it looked so dumb how they were trying to start a fight, but it was all just words. At least throw some punches; it was all talk!

Later my bro, mom and I might go eat at this buffet place my mom has been raving about.

I have a couple of more days here in SoCal before I head back home. I hope to get some pizza from Zelo's, get some grub from In N Out, and lastly perhaps some bibingka and empanadas. Oh and ice cream from Fosselman's!

Sunshine

I am free from the below freezing weather for a bit. I get to enjoy warmer climates.  Unfortunately, not entirely a vacation but primarily for business.  This is quite a stressful trip for me with a lot on my plate. Last week, I prepared meals for Frank while I am away.  I think I made more stuff this time around than last.  It was good that I started early.  I also got to experiment with some other recipes.

I made Mung Bean bread.  It was more plain than I would have hoped, but I was happy with how it turned out.  Next time, I may experiment with red bean.  I also made some meatballs out of turkey and baked them.  Baking them is less fatty so I would suggest that and it is easier (less mess and clean up).

I am stressing over my practical examination that I am attempting next week.  My 1st choice patient cancelled on me.  I am now using my back up.  I am so very thankful that I had planned a back up, or else I would not know what to do.  Now I am continuing to search to see if I can find a backup.  I hope that all goes well, or else... it just really was not meant to be.  

Squats

I started this inner thigh regime workout this week.  Today I did a new workout and it was INTENSE! I could not even finish my yoga workout.  And when I went downstairs to check the mail, it was really hard to walk down the stairs.  I am really bad at doing squats and this had a lot of those.  Woe is Me.

Green River

Yesterday, we watched the dyeing of the Chicago River. This happens between Columbus and Wacker Drives.  The best views are on the east side of the Michigan Ave. bridge, the west side of the Columbus Dr. bridge, or upper and lower Wacker Dr. between Michigan Ave. and Columbus Dr.

Chicago knows how to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  About 45 pounds of vegetable dye color is used to dye the Chicago River between Columbus and Wacker drives. Another event is the St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Through the city there are events in Irish Pubs and etc...

Our day started out early.  It is best to get there around 9 am to watch the dyeing of the river. Here's a clip of how they get the river to turn green.

View from upper Wacker Dr.

View from the Michigan Ave. bridge looking west.

Panoramic view of the Chicago River from the Michigan Ave. bridge.

Kayakers and crewers in the green river.

Afterwards, we headed over to Do-Rite Donuts to try their selection of donuts.  I was not a fan; I thought they had a sub par selection and the glazed selection was lacking in texture.  It did not taste fresh.  The carrot cake donut was pretty good.  I am not a cake donut fan, but this one was pretty good. I do like the giant donut in their store front.

I prefer Doughnut Vault over Do-Rite Donuts.

We met up with Daun and checked out a couple of bars/lounges.  Theory was the first stop. Then had some grub at XOCO.  And then checked out Fedora Lounge.  After that we called it quits.

Frank and Daun at Fedora Lounge.

Green beer for St. Patrick's Festivities.

It was fun checking out the festivities and seeing all the people dress up.

Draw My Life

Today was our first day teaching our Apprenticeship class. We are teaching students about Comics. Our first lesson plan included: the history of comics, the difference between cartoons and comics, and touching on global issues.  We realizes that 6th and 7th graders don't really care about global issues. That kinda makes me sad, but at the same time, I do understand where they are coming from.  I am hoping that at the end of this apprenticeship they will care more about such thing.  I was going to give up talking about global issues, but now that I think about it; this exposure will be good for them.

Frank did a great job correlating how the effects of pollution can result in global warming and thus effect the environment, such as the livelihood of animals causing their possible extinction.  I even threw in a the Superman example. You know how the people of Krypton caused their self destruction through means of abusing the world they lived in. We were trying to get them to understand as how they can use these global issues as themes for their comic. Does that sound boring?  There's Captain Planet who wants to save the planet.  Who else?  Smoky bear is a fictional character helping to prevent forest fires.  And the list goes on.

During some points in the class, the students were out of hand.  It is very interesting learning behavior tactics from our Teacher Lead and the Citizens Teacher Group.  They are really good at it and I really commend them for all their efforts and hard work.  I am a bit more passive, so it was interesting seeing Frank regulate the kids too.  I think some of the chaos caused a twinge in his neck.  We went out for frozen custard after class as a treat.

We did a fun activity with the students.  I created a 4 panel comic template.  In this, we wanted the students to create a Draw My Life Comic Strip.  This is a great activity for getting to know each other and at the same time reflect about your own life.

Here's my Draw My Life Comic Strip

This is Frank's Draw My Life Comic Strip

Spring Forward

It's that time of year where we SPRING FORWARD.  We lose an hour, but gain light.  I'll take it!  I love this time of year because getting that extra hour of light really makes me happy (cue happy dance).  

Waking up was really tough this morning.  Usually, when it is time to spring forward, I go to sleep an hour earlier to make up for that lost hour.  I don't have to worry about that these days.  Currently, I have no set schedule or obligations for the most part.  Towards the end of this month and next, I have a gig so I will have to regulate my sleep schedule. 

It's a beautiful day out; I can't believe its in the 50s!  A great way to start off springing forward.  I want to venture outside but I have some research that needs to be done.  We have our apprenticeship class this week, so I need to read up on the history of comics and prepare a 10 minute power point presentation.  This apprenticeship is through Frank's work.  We are working with Citizen Schools and teaching middle schoolers about Comics.  I will probably talk more about this in the future.  

On Saturday, I made Stuffed French Toast.  I ranted about this on my last blog entry.  Last year, I made this using Surfa's baguette. This time around, I used the Hokkaido Milk Bread I made on Friday. In retrospect, I probably should have waited until the bread became more stale.  In the end, it still came out yummy.  I also wanted to add that is a rich French Toast, so a little bit goes a long way here.  

At Starling Diner, the French Toast is not fried, rather it is broiled.  They also use a baguette instead of a square loaf of bread.  The baguette is soaked in a crème anglaise. 

What is crème anglaise? Simply put, it is an English cream that is a mixture of sugar, egg yolks, hot milk and vanilla flavor creating a light custard, often used as a dessert cream or sauce or some sort.

The bread can be stuffed with any filling you desire.  I used a mascarpone filling in which I mixed together mascarpone cheese and honey until I got a creamy consistency.   You can also use sugar instead of honey.  A splash of lemon will also give it a little more flavor.  

The bread is soaked in the crème anglaise and I baked it at 450°F turning once for 8 minutes.  I topped it with powdered sugar and served it with fresh whipped cream and strawberries. You can also broil it if you like, but be carefully for broiling can burn easily when you aren't keep an eye on it.  This is why I like to make my fresh whipped cream first and set it in the refrigerator until I am ready to use it. That way, I can watch my french toast cooking and flip it over once, so that both sides get that nice golden brown color.  

STUFFED FRENCH TOAST Print

Yields: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

4 thick slices of French bread or baguettes

Choice of Fruits

Crème Anglaise

3 egg yolks

3 tbsp sugar

½ cup milk

½ cup cream

½ tsp vanilla extract

Mascarpone Filling

4 oz mascarpone cheese

1 tsp honey

Fresh Whipped Cream           

1 cup whipping cream

2 tbsp sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Fresh Whipped Cream:

In a bowl, combine whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract.  Using an electric mixer, whip until stiff.  Place in refrigerator until ready to use. 

Making the Crème Anglaise

1. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until the egg mixture is pale yellow and set aside. 

2. In a saucepan, combine milk and cream on medium-low heat just before the point of boiling. 

3. Slowly add the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper and prevent the eggs from scrambling.  Whisk in vanilla extract.

4. Heat mixture on medium-low and stir constantly until it reaches 156°F-165°F.

5. Strain mixture through a wire mesh to remove and clumps of egg and set aside. 

Making the Mascarpone Filling

6. Whip mascarpone cheese with honey using a spatula until creamed together.

7. Pipe mascarpone filling into bread.  If you are using a baguette, create a hole on side and tunnel through, pipe in filling.  If you are using French Bread, use thick slices and make a slit on top keeping the side edges intact and fill in the middle.  You can also make the slit on the bottom if you like. Basically, you are trying to keep the filling from spilling out while baking them.

*I used Hokkaido Milk Bread and it was rather flavorful; same way I described for filling the French bread.

Bathing the Bread in the Crème Anglaise

8. Soak the bread in the crème anglaise, 30 seconds-1 minute per side.  If you are using slightly stale bread, you will not soak it as long.  If you are using very stale bread, you will soak it for longer. 

*I used pretty fresh bread, so I did not soak it very long.

Plating it up

9.  Place bread on a baking sheet lined with foil and grease lightly. Cook on 450°F for 8 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. 

*You can also broil this, but I tend to burn things on broil, so I like to cook it on 450°F on the top rack.  Watch it carefully. 

10. Serve with powdered sugar, fresh whipped cream, and fruits.  Enjoy!