This recipe is in honour of July 14th being Bastille Day, or the National Day of France! Whether you’ve enjoyed a decadent cup of hot chocolate at Angelina’s in Paris or spent hours walking around the picturesque Aix-En-Provence in the south of France, or even if you’ve never been to France at all, this recipe is a wonderfully delicious way to celebrate! 
The quintessential French pastry, renowned around the world, has got to be the croissant. Here we take a croissant and see how creative we can get!  We’re making a croissant french toast bake, with tons and tons of raspberries! Trust us, it tastes as beautiful as it looks and sounds!

Here is how to make it:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds fresh croissants (about 12 medium), cut in half

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed

2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

12 large eggs, beaten

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Preparation:

1. Lightly coat a baking dish with nonstick spray. Place half of the croissants evenly into the baking dish. Top with half of cream cheese and 3/4 cup raspberries in an even layer. Top with remaining croissants, cream cheese and 3/4 cup raspberries.
2. In a large glass measuring cup , whisk your eggs, milk, honey, vanilla and salt. Pour the mixture evenly over the croissants. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator; let stand for 30 minutes.
4. Place into the oven and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover; continue to bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and center is firm.
5. Serve immediately, and top off with more raspberries and a sprinkle of confectioners sugar to finish.

This recipe is definitely a celebratory one, the flavours are immaculate and the raspberries stand out like rubies in this beautiful and delicious dessert! We think this is the perfect way to celebrate Bastille Day – or just a great way to bring something special to Brunch. If you make this recipe and want to share with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Ingredients:

4lbs live mussels

2 cups dry wine

4 large shallots, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1⁄3 cup mixed fresh herbs (such as flat-leaf parsley,chervil,or basil,chopped)

6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Preparation:

Rinse and scrub mussels under cold water.

Using your fingers or paring knife, remove beards (strings that hang from the mussel shells), and discard.

In a large stockpot set over medium heat, combine wine, shallots, garlic, and salt.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add mussels, cover, and increase heat to high.

Cook until all mussels are open, about 5 minutes.

Stir in herbs and butter.

Remove from heat.

Divide mussels and broth among four bowls.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

This is one of our favourite ways to enjoy seafood in the summer, we hope you like it as much as we do. If you make this recipe, please share with us on Instagram by tagging @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.