Sweet treats for brunch
A lot of the work for this holiday meal can be done the day before event
These sweet ideas for Christmas brunch will have your family going to bed with visions of breakfast, not sugar plums, dancing in their heads.
Our Overnight Cinnamon Bun French Toast makes a decadent treat even more indulgent. The cinnamon buns are soaked overnight in a mixture of eggs, milk, maple syrup and cream, and sprinkled with pecans and bacon. Just pop them in the oven on Christmas morning.
For a lighter treat, try our Raspberry and Yogurt Crepes. Creamy Greek yogurt and fresh raspberries are wrapped in our Simple Crepes, then topped with toasted almonds and maple syrup. Make and freeze the crepes ahead so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family.
Overnight Cinnamon Bun French Toast
Serves: 12 6 large eggs 1 cup (250 mL) homogenized milk ¾ cup (180 mL) maple syrup ¾ cup (180 mL) whipping cream 6 day-old large cinnamon buns 1 cup (250 mL) chopped toasted pecans
½ cup (125 mL) crumbled cooked bacon
Whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup and cream.
Pour 1/3 of egg mixture into a greased 9x13-inch (22.5x33-cm) baking dish.
Cut cinnamon buns in half horizontally.
Place bottom halves of cinnamon buns, cut side up, into baking dish.
Pour 1/3 of egg mixture evenly over cinnamon bun halves in dish. Sprinkle with pecans and bacon.
Cover, cut side down, with top halves of cinnamon buns. Pour remaining 1/3 of egg mixture evenly over top.
Place a piece of parchment paper on top of cinnamon buns. Place an empty baking dish of the same size, bottom side down, on top of parchment paper. Fill empty dish with cans to weigh cinnamon buns down; refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Remove baking dish from refrigerator and let stand for 20-30 minutes. Remove dish with cans from bottom baking dish. Remove parchment paper from cinnamon buns.
Bake, covered, until eggs are set and a cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes.
Uncover and continue baking until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Raspberry and Yogurt Crepes
Makes: 8 1 cup (250 mL) plain Greek yogurt 8 Simple Crepes (recipe follows) 2 cups (500 mL) fresh raspberries Additional plain Greek yogurt Additional fresh raspberries ½ cup (125 mL) maple syrup 1/4 cup (60 mL) slivered almonds, toasted Spread 2 tbsp (30 mL) yogurt down centre of each crepe. Top each with 1/4 cup (60 mL) raspberries. Roll up crepes to enclose filling.
To serve, place crepes on individual serving plates. Top each with additional yogurt and raspberries. Drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with almonds, dividing equally.
Simple Crepes
Makes: 14
1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour, sifted 2 cups (500 mL) milk (2 per cent) 3 large eggs 1/3 cup (80 mL) salted butter, melted
Additional salted butter Place flour in a medium bowl. Whisk together milk and eggs in small bowl until blended.
Add milk mixture to flour and whisk until combined. Whisk in 1/3 cup (80 mL) melted butter.
Pour batter through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
Remove bowl from refrigerator and whisk batter.
Heat an 8-inch (20-cm) non-stick crepe pan or frying pan over medium-low heat. Lightly coat pan with additional butter. Remove pan from heat.
Pour 1/4 cup (60 mL) batter into pan. Swirl pan until it is coated on bottom with batter.
Return pan to medium-low heat and cook until crepe is firm around edges and lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Loosen edges of crepe from pan — using a spatula. Slide spatula under crepe and quickly flip it over; cook for an additional 30 seconds or just until lightly browned. Transfer crepe to a parchment paper-lined large rimmed baking sheet.
Repeat procedure with remaining batter, adding additional butter to the pan as necessary. Do not stack crepes; cool completely.
Crepes may be frozen for up to two months. If freezing, layer crepes with parchment paper in an airtight container. Calgary-based ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen has been providing advice on food, cooking, recipes and other household topics for more than 80 years. Cookbooks include Everyday Delicious and From the Grill.