Food Makes Me Happy

Apr 17, 2020

Leftover Toast Transformation - Cubed Honey Toast Dessert

Honey toast, it was the dessert that took over the spotlight long before boba milk tea. Take a big chunk of un-sliced toast, about half loaf, hollow out the center so the toast become sort of a container. Then all the fancy sweet stuff kicked it. The bread that was removed from the loaf, after adding some sugar and a quick toast in the oven, put them back for extra crunch. Other ideas such as ice cream, fresh fruits, all kind of sweetened sauce, whatever yummy components you can think of.

But that can be a hassle to make, and you have to get an entire un-sliced toast to do so. Why not use few slices of thick-cut toasts instead to make similar dessert? It can also be a lovely transformation when there are some leftover toast, even dried out ones work just as well.

Cubed honey toast dessert -

Ingredients (for two)?

2 slices thick-cut toast (I used honey flavored, but plain toast works just as good)
Some semi-sweet chocolate chips
Some heavy whipping cream
Some granulated sugar
1 egg
1 ripe banana
Some matcha ice cream (or other preferred flavor)
Some fresh berries (optional)
Some fresh mint leaves (optional)
Some powdered sugar (optional)

How?

It's actually a very versatile dessert that doesn't have to stick with exact ingredients listed here. Just go ahead and use whatever fruits, sauces, and ice cream you'd like. Even some extra sweet treats can be added like Snickers, M&M's, and Hershey's Kisses.

Store-bought chocolate sauce or caramel sauce can do the trick. I happened to have some chocolate chips left, so used a double boiler to melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips with heavy whipping cream. No exact amount recorded, just melt the chocolate till half way and slowly mix in the heavy whipping cream till it reaches desired liquidity.

Another easier way to do is simply warm up some heavy whipping cream using low heat, don't bring it to a boil. Pour the warm cream over chocolate chips, but it works better if you kind of know the cream and chocolate ratio for the sauce. Otherwise, pour in the heavy whipping cream a little bit at a time and keep mixing. Add more if the sauce seems too thick, and keep adjusting till desired liquidity.

Beat one egg as simple egg wash. Prepare a plate of granulated sugar. Slice the toasts into cubes, 9 cubes per toast. Brush all toast cube sides with egg wash and dip with sugar.

Transfer prepped toast cubes to a baking dish.

Toast in oven using high heat, about few minutes. Keep an eye on it because up to a point these cubes will turn brown fairly quickly.

Once slightly browned, carefully remove the baking dish out and flip the toast cubes.

Back to the oven and toast the other side till colored. The texture will turn crunchy during this process also.

Peel and slice the banana, also prep other fruits if using. Put the toasted cubes on the bottom, but it can also be arranged throughout. Just put all the ingredients together and top with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle some sweet sauce over.

Perhaps dust with powdered sugar or garnish with fresh mint leaves, whatever delights you.

By the way, when making the toast cubes, make sure to "brush" the egg wash instead of "soaking" them. Soaking the toast can result in different texture, more like a French toast bites instead, that'll be another recipe to show.

This dessert can be fun for parents to make with kids. Let them help baking the toast cubes and put on the toppings. A little treat can go a long way, creating some heart-warming memories while safely staying at home during such tough times.

Other dessert recipes:

Apr 12, 2020

Aromatic Magao Chicken Soup Prepared with Tatung Steam Rice Cooker

Tatung steam rice cooker might took over the spotlight these days, proven that it can be used to sterilize face masks by Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center. In fact, similar types of rice cooker will do the same job, but since "Tatung" is almost like a national brand for steam rice cooker, I've added the brand name with Taiwan's pride.

Put the recently face mask disinfect function aside, such steam rice cooker can also be a great and convenient tool to make chicken soup.

Aromatic magao chicken soup prepared with Tatung steam rice cooker -

Ingredients?

700 grams chicken (with bones and skin)
1 1/2 teaspoon magao pepper
150 grams hiratake mushroom
100 grams yanagi matsutake mushroom
1/3 cup rice cooking wine
4 slices ginger
Some salt
Some water
Some cilantro (optional)

How?

Magao is a type of pepper with stronger minty and lemony scent, but not quite spicy at all. It can be found around the rural area in Taiwan, also commonly used by some aboriginal tribes. Mountain peppercorn, another name for magao, is also getting more and more attention at the fine dining scenes in Taiwan, which can be found at some local Michelin-starred restaurants.

Such quality makes magao a great addition to clear stock style chicken soup. I've also used high quality "KT chicken" to make the soup. The meat is very clean, that means when making stock, it won't generate those brown foamy bits floating on the surface. Just very clear-looking soup, which works great with magao.

Prep the chicken into large pieces. Remove the tough ends from mushrooms. It doesn't have to be hiratake and yanagi matsutake mushrooms, just use the gentle-flavored Japanese type mushrooms that you can get a hold of. Slice the ginger, no need to peel off the skin, just make sure to rinse till cleaned. Use the side of the knife to knock on the peppers to help them further release the aroma. No need to fully crush them, just a few taps will do.

Add about 3 cups of water to the steam rice cooker, not to the metal pot, but to the very bottom of the rice cooker. As for the big pot that came with the steam rice cooker, add in 10 cups of water instead, also add the chicken, ginger slices, magao, mushrooms, and 1/3 cup of rice cooking wine.

Cover with cooker's lid. Press down the button and let it steam for about one hour.

Once ready, the button will pop right back. Keep the lid on and just let it sit in residual heat for another 30 minutes. Lastly, flavor with salt till desired saltiness. I used about 2 tablespoons of salt here.

Scoop to serving containers and garnish with fresh cilantro, not necessary but always like that color pop and fresh scent.

Such a clear broth filled with minty lemony aroma. It'll also warms you up from inside out. By the way, magao can be stored in the freezer, I actually used a small glass jar to store magao in the freezer, and it'll last almost forever without losing much of its aroma. If you can find some magao, just go ahead and stock up.

Other soup recipes: