Sunday Brunch (10 page)
Authors: Betty Rosbottom
Serves 8 to 10
PREP TIME:
20 minutes
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
2 hours, including cooling time for the coffee cake
MAKE AHEAD:
Yes
8 tbsp/115 g unsalted butter, chilled and diced, plus more for the pan
2 cups/255 g all-purpose flour
2 cups/400 g light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup/85 g pecans, toasted (see
cooking tip
) and coarsely chopped
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup/240 ml buttermilk
1 egg, at room temperature
1 tbsp instant espresso dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar
Creamy Espresso Glaze
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
A 9-in/23-cm springform pan and a small ramekin 3 in/7.5 cm in diameter and about 1¾ in/4.5 cm tall (see
cooking tip
).
1. Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C/gas 4. Butter the bottom and sides of the springform pan and then cut a sheet of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan. Place the paper in the pan and then butter the paper. Butter the sides and bottom of the ramekin and place it, right-side up, in the center of the pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the diced butter and rub the mixture between your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. Remove ¾ cup/115 g to a small bowl and add the chopped pecans; set aside.
3. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the large bowl with the flour mixture and stir to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, dissolved espresso, and vanilla and then stir them into the dry ingredients just until well blended. The batter should be quite thick.
4. Ladle half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle half of the nut mixture over the batter. Repeat with the remaining batter and nut mixture. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until a tester inserted into the area around the ramekin comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
5. Cool the cake to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Then run a sharp knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Run the knife around the outside of the ramekin to loosen it from the cake. Gently remove the ramekin and the sides of the pan. Dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar, drizzle the glaze over the top, and serve.
C
REAMY
E
SPRESSO
G
LAZE
3 tbsp milk, plus more if needed
1 ¼ tsp instant espresso powder
3
OZ
/85 g cream cheese at room temperature, broken into small pieces
⅓ cup/35 g confectioners’ sugar
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and espresso powder until the espresso has dissolved. Add the cream cheese. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the mixture until blended, and then gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar. The glaze should be smooth and thin enough to drizzle over the coffee cake. If too thick, thin with 1 tsp or more of extra milk.
COOKING TIP:
A 3-in/7.5-cm ramekin works best in this recipe. If you use one wider in diameter the space for the batter will be smaller and as the cake cooks some of it is likely to fall into the ramekin. If you have an angel food pan with a removable bottom or a flat-bottomed tube insert for a 9-in/23-cm springform pan, you can use either of those instead.
A squeeze bottle with a small opening makes drizzling the glaze over the coffee cake very easy.
Cornbread was a staple at our table when I was growing up in the South. Today, I still use my family’s recipe to turn out this quick bread, but often mix in new ingredients. Diced andouille sausage, sautéed and then sprinkled into the batter, is a favorite variation. Bits of Spanish chorizo make an equally tempting addition. Both versions make fine partners to scrambled, poached, or pan-fried eggs.
Serves 8
PREP TIME:
20 minutes
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
40 minutes
MAKE AHEAD:
Yes
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus 4 tsp
6
OZ
/330 g andouille sausage or Spanish chorizo (see
market note
), cut into ¼-in/6-mm dice
2 eggs
¾ cup/180 ml buttermilk
1 cup/140 g yellow cornmeal
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp baking soda
MARKET NOTE:
Use Spanish-style chorizo in casing, not loose Mexican-style chorizo.
1. Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F/230 degrees C/gas 8.
2. Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil until hot in a 9-in/23-cm ovenproof frying pan (preferably a well-seasoned cast-iron one) set over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and sauté until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes; drain on paper towels.
3. When the frying pan is cool enough to handle, wipe it out with paper towels. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and set it over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes just to heat the oil. Remove the frying pan from the heat and set aside.
4. Whisk the eggs and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Pour the oil from the frying pan into the batter, and mix well. Pour the batter into the frying pan, and sprinkle the cooked sausage evenly over it.
5. Bake the cornbread until it is golden on top and firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a sharp knife around the edge of the cornbread to loosen it. Invert the pan and turn out the bread onto a rack to cool for about 5 minutes. (The cornbread can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Leave at room temperature. Wrap cornbread in foil and reheat in a preheated 350-degree-F/180-degree-C/gas-4 oven for about 10 minutes.)
I
can’t imagine a brunch without fruit on the menu. Summer berries and melons, autumn apples, or winter’s grapefruits and oranges can play a key role at morning meals. Fresh and unadorned or cooked and embellished, they provide bursts of color, interesting textures, and sweetness as well as bracing flavor.
If you are pressed for time, simply slice or dice fresh fruit or use whole berries or grapes. A squeeze of lemon will keep apples and pears from discoloring, while a sprinkle of sugar will sweeten tart berries. Garnish with mint, and you’re all set.
If you have just a few extra minutes, though, choose from one of the tempting recipes in this chapter. In warm weather, nothing could be easier or taste better than Summer Berries with Lemon Crème Fraîche or Plum Parfaits with Yogurt and Granola. For those extra-hot days when the temperatures soar, the Duo of Melons with Honey, Lime, and Ginger is exceptionally refreshing. Scrumptious Warm Apple and Date Compotes with Whipped Maple Cream or delectable Wine-Glazed Grapefruit Cups are the answer when it’s cold outside.
The recipes that follow have other winning features, especially for the cook. They call for readily available ingredients; they do not require a lot of time; and most can be prepared in advance with just a bit of last-minute attention.
Duo of Melons with Honey, Lime, and Ginger
I first sampled this simple yet exquisite dish at Le Comptoir, one of Paris’s most popular Left Bank bistros. As the chef made his rounds to greet guests, I was anxious for him to stop at our table so I could ask if he would share the recipe. He smiled and explained how easy it was to prepare. He had scooped balls from Cavaillon melons (sweeter than but similar to cantaloupes), and then assembled a sauce by puréeing some extra melon with watermelon, lime juice, and honey. For serving, the melon balls were napped with the sauce, and then dusted with freshly grated ginger. At home I used both cantaloupe and watermelon balls for visual contrast, and added candied ginger as a garnish.
Serves 6
PREP TIME:
25 minutes
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
1 hour, 30 minutes; including 1 hour to chill the sauce
MAKE AHEAD:
Partially
One medium cantaloupe (about 2 ½ lb/1.2 kg)
One medium watermelon, preferably seedless (about 5 lb/2.3 kg)
¼ cup/60 ml fresh lime juice (3 to 4 limes)
½ cup/120 ml honey
2 tbsp chopped candied ginger
6 mint springs
1. Using a melon baller, scoop out 2 cups/290 g of cantaloupe and 2 cups/360 g of watermelon. Place the balls in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. (The balls can be prepared up to 6 hours in advance.)
2. Chop 1 cup/145 g of cantaloupe and 1 cup/180 g of watermelon and transfer to a food processor or blender. Add the lime juice and honey and process until the melons are puréed and well blended with the lime juice and honey. Strain the sauce over a 2-cup/480-ml or larger measuring cup with a spout to remove any seeds. Use a spatula to press down on the pulp to release all of the juices. You should get about 2 cups/480 ml sauce. Cover the sauce with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator until icy cold, at least 1 hour. (The sauce can be prepared up to 6 hours in advance.)
3. Divide the melon balls evenly among six martini or wide-mouthed wine glasses and pour about cup/75 ml of the sauce over each. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tsp candied ginger and garnish each with a mint sprig. Serve cold.
This simple recipe is perfect to make for a summer brunch when peaches are in their prime. I use yellow ones for their extra shot of color, cutting them into thick wedges before adding seasonings of sugar and lemon. The fruit is spread in a baking dish, topped with honey and butter, and then popped in the oven for less than a half hour. During the final minutes of roasting, chopped almonds and crushed shortbread cookies are sprinkled over the bubbling fruit. Served warm with dollops of crème fraîche, this dish is a tempting version of “peaches and cream.”
Serves 4 to 6
PREP TIME:
25 minutes
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
1 hour
MAKE AHEAD:
No
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for the baking dish
6 medium peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into slices ½ in/12 mm thick (about 4 cups/910 g)
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp honey
½ cup/65 g slivered almonds, toasted (see
cooking tip
) and coarsely chopped
½ cup/40 g crushed shortbread cookies (see
market note
)
½ cup/120 ml crème fraîche (see
cooking tip
)
MARKET NOTE:
Be sure to use pure-butter shortbread cookies. They contain enough butter that you don’t need to add melted butter to the crumbs for the topping. I like Walkers Shortbread cookies, available in many groceries.
1. Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C/gas 6. Butter a 2-qt/2-L shallow oven-to-table baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the peaches, sugar, and lemon zest to combine well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish. Drizzle the honey over the peaches and dot with the butter. Bake until the peaches are tender and the butter has melted, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the oven. Combine the almonds and shortbread and sprinkle over the top. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the topping is light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove and cool for 10 minutes.
4. Serve the peaches warm with a dollop of crème fraîche.
COOKING TIP:
To toast almonds, spread on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a preheated 350-degree-F/180-degree-C/gas-4 oven until lightly browned and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Watch carefully so the nuts do not burn. Remove and cool.