Divorced Dad's Gourmet Shop

Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Souffle Bread

"Okay!"

Jun Qingmeng lay back down in Jiang Liu’s arms, not asking a single question from beginning to end.

The three of them hugged each other and slept soundly until the next morning.

4:10 AM.

Jiang Liu’s eyes opened.

He felt full of energy. ’Having enhanced mental strength really makes a difference.’ In this regard, he had already left 99.999% of all corporate drones in the dust!

Jun Qingmeng and Tongtong sensed the movement and groggily opened their eyes.

Jiang Tongtong kicked her little legs and stretched.

"Mmm, Daddy, it’s only four o’clock. What are you doing?" Tongtong rubbed her eyes and glanced at the little bear clock on the wall from her lying position.

"Honey, is something wrong?"

Jun Qingmeng asked sleepily. She remembered that Jiang Liu usually only went to the bathroom after he got out of bed.

As Jiang Liu got dressed, he said, "You two go back to sleep. I’ve had enough rest. I’m going to make some bread."

"No, Daddy, Tongtong wants to go with you!"

"Honey, let’s all three of us go together."

As soon as Tongtong said that, she tried to sit up and get dressed, but she had just gotten up when she flopped back down.

She instantly felt wronged.

"Waaah, it’s over, Daddy! The bed kidnapped Tongtong."

"You sleep, Tongtong. Mommy will go with your daddy by herself."

Jun Qingmeng had already forced herself to sit up, fighting off her sleepiness.

Used to waking up at five, her body’s internal clock was stubborn.

Jiang Liu glanced at Jun Qingmeng, who was struggling to get out of bed.

He deliberately put on a stern face, walked over, and gently pushed Jun Qingmeng back onto the bed. "Don’t force yourself. Be good and lie down and sleep! I’m not going out to work, just to the kitchen. You two can just wait here in bed."

The position the two of them were in was a bit intimate.

Pushed back onto the bed, Jun Qingmeng’s face flushed slightly. She looked at Jiang Liu and said:

"W-Well, okay then. I don’t want to sleep anymore. I’ll just lie here for a while and wait for you to come back..."

"You’re really something. Fine, wait if you want. I’m heading to the kitchen first."

The moment Jiang Liu finished speaking, Jun Qingmeng had already closed her eyes and fallen asleep.

Tongtong was also fast asleep, breathing softly.

Jiang Liu rolled his eyes at the two of them.

’So much for going together!’

Once in the kitchen, Jiang Liu first checked his phone. Yue Longfan had messaged him that he was on his way.

Jiang Liu sent another reminder to bring extra gas, as the quantity needed today was a bit large.

Then, he began to prepare the ingredients.

Five free-range organic eggs, twenty grams of flour, fifteen grams of cornstarch, thirty-five grams of white sugar, and a small piece of cream cheese.

Jiang Liu had wanted to make a cake or some bread for a long time.

This was because he could use the ingredients from the Gourmet Album.

Especially the free-range organic eggs, which had no unpleasant smell and possessed a naturally faint, light, milky fragrance.

He got a bowl, separated the egg whites, and used an electric mixer to beat them into a white, dense, and delicate foam, gradually adding sugar during the process.

Finally, he added the flour, cornstarch, and cream cheese, and continued to beat the mixture.

The foam became thick and very sweet. He placed parchment paper on a baking tray, put dollops of the thick mixture on top, and shaped them nicely.

Next.

Jiang Liu decorated the surface with the dried fruits and nuts a neighbor had given him: cranberries, raisins, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and dried apples.

Finally, he set the oven to bake at 180 degrees for twenty-five minutes.

Under the high heat, the white, sticky lumps of foam began to expand and take shape. A faint, milky aroma mixed with the scent of dried fruit wafted out from the cracks of the oven.

Jiang Liu sat to the side, playing on his phone.

Most of the ingredients he used were from the Gourmet Album. Pastries like this don’t usually require much technical skill; the technique often lies in getting the right ratio of additives.

However, since this was for his family, Jiang Liu had no intention of adding any of those fancy "extras."

’Natural is always best!’

With a DING from the oven,

Jiang Liu eagerly took the tray out. A rich, sweet fragrance instantly filled the entire kitchen.

The white Souffle, which had originally been larger than a basketball, had now more than doubled in size after baking.

As he brought it out, it wobbled back and forth like a fluffy yellow cloud.

"I can’t believe my first try was so successful. It looks perfect!"

Jiang Liu took a sniff. The sweet, milky scent was rich. He tore off a piece. It was a little hot.

The inside was white, with a very delicate texture.

It was soft and gentle in his mouth, so tender it was as if he were really biting into a cloud.

The flavor was sweet with a faint milky fragrance, mixed with the dried fruit. It was delicious.

Jiang Liu couldn’t help but smile smugly.

"Not bad. Looks like I’ve got some skill. This Souffle is even better than the ones from a specialty shop."

"I’d give it a seven out of ten. If this were sold in a bakery, it would absolutely sell out!"

Jiang Liu had his own rating scale.

If it could be considered a world-class dish, it would be a ten. If it surpassed a ten, then it would be mind-blowingly delicious.

At the very least, if presented on the world’s culinary stage, it would be enough to stun the experts.

4:55 AM.

Jun Qingmeng and Tongtong woke up and immediately came running out in their slippers to cling to Jiang Liu.

Jiang Liu was in the middle of eating the Souffle.

Slender arms wrapped around his waist from behind, and a soft pressure on his back was accompanied by the scent of gardenias.

Jiang Liu knew it was Jun Qingmeng.

Jun Qingmeng said lazily, "Honey, can you not get up so early next time? I want to sleep with you a little longer."

Tongtong, who could only hug Jiang Liu’s leg, added in a tiny voice, "Daddy, if Tongtong wakes up and can’t see you, I get very sad."

Jiang Liu exasperatedly and gently removed the hands from his body. "Look at you two. I was only out here for a few minutes. How about next time I move the oven into the bedroom?"

"That way, you’ll definitely see me when you wake up."

"Yay! Tongtong thinks that’s a great idea!"

Jun Qingmeng shot Jiang Liu a look. "Oh, listen to Mr. Smarty-pants. Just don’t get up so early next time."

In the next moment, their attention was captured by the Souffle on the table.

"Wow, what a huge piece of bread!"

The little foodie poked it with her finger, and the Souffle wobbled.

"Ah, the adorable bread is just like Tongtong! Can I eat it?"

The big foodie also looked up at Jiang Liu.

"Honey~ I want to eat it too."

"Go ahead. Wait, let me cut it up for you first."

With that, Jiang Liu swiftly sliced into it.

He cut the Souffle into triangular wedges as if slicing through cotton candy.

The two of them each took a piece and began to eat with relish.

One bite and their sleepy eyes lit up.

"This is delicious! Daddy, you’re amazing! Mmm, it has a milky flavor, too! Anyway, it’s ten times more delicious than any bread Tongtong has ever had!"

"Honey, how did you make this Souffle? It’s sweet, soft, and tender, even better than cake."

Jun Qingmeng had a blissful expression as she ate. ’I’m discovering more and more that my husband seems to be the reincarnation of a Kitchen God. Everything he makes is super delicious!’

’This is true happiness!’

Jiang Liu smiled, feeling a great sense of accomplishment. "From now on, whenever you two want to eat this, just tell me, and I’ll make it for you right away!"

"Mhm!"

"Yay!—Daddy?"

"What is it?"

"Daddy! Tongtong swears she’ll always, always super-love you! Hehe."

Jiang Liu stroked his daughter’s head.

’Even the sweetest honey in the world isn’t as sweet as my own daughter.’

"Honey, I remember eating a dessert like this in Europe before. They’re really skilled at making them over there, but I think your Souffle is way more delicious than the one I had last time that cost over 700 yuan!"

Jun Qingmeng didn’t hold back on her praise.

"If you like it, eat as much as you want. I can make it for you every day."

"No, I want to eat your other delicious dishes too. Your wife is very greedy!"

Jiang Liu chuckled.