Creative food craft ideas
I can’t read anything related to these, and have no specifics, but this is the most adorable bread I’ve ever seen. Here at Happy Rainbow. Spotted on pinterest. Looking for more Kawaii recipes
?
The above link is not longer valid, but we found this recipe Bread bears on the blog Not Quite Nigella. These adorable kawaii bread bears can be added to kids lunch boxes and Bento-style lunches.
We found some great Bento Cookbooks 
too.
I absolutely love Steph de Sousa’s style. She is one of those wonderfully flamboyant women who brings so much personality to the kitchen, and honestly, her colour alone makes me smile. There is something so refreshing about someone who feels bright, confident, and completely herself. That energy spills right into her brand, and it makes this cookbook feel warm, lively, and approachable before you even start thinking about what to cook.
The Air Fryer Queen has that same cheerful charm. It feels like the kind of cookbook written by someone who genuinely wants to help you get tasty food on the table without turning dinner into a full-blown production. And that is exactly the sort of energy I want from an air fryer book. Not stiff. Not overly chefy. Just fun, practical, and full of ideas you might actually use.
What makes Steph so appealing is that she does not come across as intimidating. She feels real. A little bit fabulous, a little bit cheeky, and very much like someone who understands that most of us are just trying to make something easy, delicious, and vaguely impressive with minimal fuss. That is a big part of why this book stands out. It feels friendly.
And can we talk again about the colour? I know that sounds silly in a cookbook review, but it really is part of the charm. Steph has such a vibrant presence, and it brings a kind of happiness to the whole air fryer world. Kitchen content can sometimes feel a bit beige, but she brings sparkle. She makes cooking feel more fun, more playful, and much less like a chore.
This is the kind of cookbook that would suit anyone who wants easy air fryer recipes but also wants a bit of joy with their meal planning. It is practical, yes, but it also feels full of personality. That makes a difference. Sometimes you are not just buying recipes, you are buying inspiration, momentum, and a little nudge to actually use the appliance sitting on your bench.
For me, that is the big appeal of Steph de Sousa. I love this flamboyant lady, I love her energy, and I love that her colourful style makes the whole thing feel upbeat and inviting. She just makes me smile, and that is not a bad quality in a cookbook author at all.
Using the Google chrome browser and its translator, these are bread bears a Japanese man made for his daughter. There is a link to the recipe but I’m not sure if the translator will be good enough. The blog post is hard enough to understand.
Thanks! I always knew there was a way to translate pages through Google, but could never find it…
Here is a simplified version of the recipe listed here – http://kitchen.yaplog.jp/yaplog/RecipePopup.blog?blog_id=1126624&extension_id=976&kind=popup
I kept all the measures metric like the original recipe.
Kuma-chan Pan (Little Bear Bread)
200g Bread Flour
10g Sugar
3g Salt
60g Water
60g Milk
10g Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Dry Yeast
1. Warm the milk to just below boiling in a heavy pan. Place the flour and salt into the bowl. Add the milk, lukewarm water, sugar, and yeast. Combine into a smooth dough.
2. Knead the butter into the bread and form a ball. Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
3. (Just noting how much the dough should double via the picture)
4. Place the dough on a rolling mat. Cut off one gram and divide it into 20 pieces for the ears. Divide the rest of the dough into 10 pieces. Allow them to rest for 15 to 20 minutes on a damp tea towel.
5. Gently dampen the dough all around. Lightly press the two ears each onto the head. (The dough is easier to handle when slightly damp.)
6. Gather up the sides of a tea towel to form channels, placing the dough inside the channels, and allow it to rise until doubled in size once again.
7. If you don’t have a tea towel instead, place the dough on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. (If you don’t have paper, spray it with water.) Cover loosely with plastic wrap as it rises. (For baking, you’ll be using the paper-lined cookie sheet)
8. For Brown Bears – Preheat the oven to 220 C, lower to 190 C and bake for 15-20 minutes.
For White Bears – Preheat the oven to 190 C, lower to 160 for the first 10 minutes, then lower 130 for the last 5-10 minutes.
(Know that ovens and bake times will vary)
Draw on the face with a food coloring marker.
This recipe is so cute. I may just have to try it.
Adorable… and Schala, you’re my hero. I’m making some of these this weekend! I have a friend who just had a baby boy, and I can’t resist taking these to her.
Thank you Schala!!!
This is so stinkin’ adorable!!
You’re welcome guys! I’ve studied Japanese enough that I could handle the recipe. Do read the link though for the pictures. They really help to flesh out the details.
these are super cute. I love them.
I have had the recipe properly translated, and published it in English here:
http://www.enjoylivingsustainably.com/2011/05/cute-bear-kuma-chan-japanese-bun-recipe/
Enjoy!
(Obviously the copyright of the images and recipe remain with the original author, but I cannot find a way to contact them to ask their permission for republishing.)