14-inch loafmilk bread or soft, unsliced white bread of your choice (there should be crust on 5 sides)
3tablespoonsbutter, melted
6to 8 strawberries, halved and quartered
1/2cupwhipped cream, divided
1teaspoonmatcha powder
1/4cupcooked tapioca, 'boba' pearls
2tablespoonscondensed milk
1scoop strawberry ice cream
2cookie straws
Instructions
Place loaf onto a cutting board with the crustless side of the loaf facing upwards. Starting from the crustless side of the bread, use a sharp serrated knife to cut a square out of the centre of the loaf (do not cut all the way through), leaving a 1/2-inch border on all four sides and at the bottom crust. Turn the loaf onto its side, with the crustless side facing your left. Using the same knife, make a slit along the right edge of the now top side (crusted), leaving a 1/2-inch border. This will make the removal of the interior of the bread easier.
Remove the cube of bread that you have now detached with the cuts. Cut the cube of bread into 1-inch pieces. Leave the box intact.
Swirl 1/2 tablespoon of melted butter onto a pan over medium heat. Place the bread box onto the pan and fry the first side until golden. Repeat with remaining sides until all sides of the box is golden, adding more melted butter when necessary. Transfer toasted bread box to a cooling rack.
Add remaining butter to the pan and toss 1-inch bread cubes in the butter and fry until golden. Using chopsticks to flip the bread cubes is helpful. Transfer bread cubes to the cooling rack as well.
*Alternatively, you can do these steps in the oven and bake the bread box and bread cubes until they are golden. I find that you get a more even golden colour when you do it on the stove.
Transfer bread box to a plate, with the hollowed side facing upwards. Add half of the toasted bread cubes into the box. Top with a handful of strawberries. Layer with 1/4 cup of the whipped cream (I divided my whipped cream into two portions and folded in matcha powder to the first portion). Drizzle a tablespoon of condensed milk. Add remaining bread cubes, strawberries, and whipped cream. Spoon on tapioca pearls, top with ice cream, drizzle with remaining condensed milk. Garnish with cookie straws.