Spirited Away Bread

Despite some obvious mistakes and cracks, this bread tastes delicious and looks completely adorable. If you want you can fill his cheeks with some (vegan) cheese or even make it into a sandwich. I did the latter with some apples and peanut butter, and showed it to my mother. We both love Hayao Miyazaki and all of the animated films that we've seen of his - and we both screamed in delight at the finished bread.

(Spirited Away Bread Ingredients)

• 1 and 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 and 1/4 tsp Rapid-Rise Yeast
• 1/2 tsp Iodized Salt
• 1/2-3/4 cup Warm Water

(Directions)

• Mix the ingredients together (adding the salt at the last minute) and knead it for about 10 minutes or until it is a nice elastic ball.
• Place it into an oiled bowl and turn it around to coat it in the oil, put a damp towel over it and let it sit in a heated area for about an hour.
• After time has elapsed, punch it down and cut about 1/4 of the bread dough off.
• Roll the bigger piece into the shape of the mouse's head and then use the ends of the leftover dough to make the ears by rolling them into balls and placing them firmly on top of the mouse's head. Use a little of the dough to make his cheeks more exaggerated and then make his nose.
• Bake it at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until your knife comes out clean from the side of his head.
• Use cocoa powder mixed with water to mark his nose, ears and to draw his eyes.
• Keep it as is or make it into a sandwich as I did.
• Enjoy!


• Make sure to tuck any excess dough underneath the head. If necessary, you may need to roll the extra dough out to make it smoother and less cracked like mine.