MANGO CAKE BRUNCH PLATTER

The Sunday Café in London serves up a show-stopping platter of pound cake chunks, fruit, yogurt and various other delicious things. It’s pretty much genius, and I’d be lying if I told you this wasn’t inspired by that. The mango loaf cake makes enough for both the platter and some slices on the side—two dishes in one, really. Use whatever nuts and seeds you have on hand, but the food stylist in me recommends pretty green pistachios, creamy chopped macadamia and flax seeds. For the mango purée, you’ll need three to four small mangoes or one large one for the one-cup measure; peel, then cut the flesh from the pit and pulse in a food processor until silky.

MANGO LOAF CAKE

Butter and flour, for preparing pan

12 tbsp (180 mL, 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving, if desired 1 cup (250 mL) mango purée (see above)

1/4 cup (60 mL) plain or sweetened vanilla yogurt

3 eggs plus 1 yolk

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract or paste

Finely grated zest of 1 lime

1 cup (250 mL) sugar

2 1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour

2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder

1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda

3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt

TO SERVE

1/3 cup (80 mL) runny honey

1 tsp (5 mL) lime juice

3 tbsp (45 mL) flax seeds, poppy seeds, chopped nuts, or a combination

1 cup (250 mL) plain or vanilla yogurt 1 cup (250 mL) raspberries

1 For the cake, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter and flour a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13-cm) loaf pan.

2 Whisk together the butter and mango in a medium bowl. If it’s still warm to the touch, let stand until it reaches room temperature. Whisk in yogurt, eggs, yolk, vanilla and lime zest.

3 In a separate large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir to combine. Scrape into loaf pan, level and bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Remove to a rack and let cool.

4 To serve, combine honey and lime juice in a small bowl. Add seeds and/or nuts, and stir to incorporate lime juice. Spread yogurt over surface of a large plate or platter. Cut one half of the loaf into three equal-sized slices. Cut each slice into four equal-sized chunks. Arrange over yogurt, sprinkle with raspberries and drizzle with honey mixture. Slice remaining half loaf into six slices and serve alongside with softened butter, or save for another use.

Serves 6

DEEP-DISH BACON & CHARD QUICHE

A really good quiche can be a lot of work!

I fully endorse blind-baking the crust and prepping the filling a day ahead. Nobody really wants to be up at 6 a.m.—ever. You could even complete the whole thing the evening beforehand—it’s delicious at room temp, too. This one features Swiss chard, my vote for the most underappreciated veg of all time. Married to bacon in a seriously rich base, it’s the stuff quiche dreams are made of.

CRUST

2 cups (500 mL) flour

1 tsp (5 mL) salt

12 tbsp (180 mL, 1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1/3 cup (80 mL) cold water

FILLING

1 bunch red or rainbow chard, leaves and stems separated

3 slices thick-cut bacon, diced

1 onion, sliced

Salt

Water as needed

1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (125 mL) finely grated Parmesan 5 eggs, plus 3 egg yolks

1 1/4 cups (310 mL) whipping cream

1 For the crust, pulse flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water through feed tube and pulse a few times to incorporate. Turn out onto work surface, gather with your hands (dough will be shaggy) and press to flatten into a 6-inch (15-cm) disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, cut very wide chard stalks lengthwise into halves or thirds, then cut all stalks into 1-inch (2.5-cm) lengths. Roughly chop the leaves; keep stalks and leaves separate.

3 In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until lightly crisped. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl; set aside.

4 Reduce heat to low, add onion and cook, stirring from time to time, until translucent, 6 minutes. Add chard leaves, increase heat to medium, season with salt and cover. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes, stir (add a splash of water to skillet if pan is dry), then cover again and cook 4 to 6 minutes longer until tender. Remove to mixing bowl containing bacon.

5 Return skillet to medium heat, add butter, a splash of water and the chard stems. Season with a bit of salt and cook, covered, stirring from time to time and refreshing with a bit of water as necessary, for 11 to 13 minutes or until tender. Tip out into a separate bowl. Let the stems and leaf mixtures cool to room temp. (Complete the leaf mixture and stems to this point up to a day ahead, and cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble quiche.)

6

Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).

7 Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand to warm up a bit. On a lightly floured surface, roll out into a 14-inch (35-cm) round. Carefully roll dough around pin and transfer to a 10-inch (25-cm) springform pan. Tuck into edges and line with parchment. Fill with ample pie weights, rice or dried beans. Bake on centre rack for 50 to 55 minutes or until visible edges are golden. Remove pie weights and parchment. (Blind-baking may be completed up to a day in advance; afterward, store crust uncovered at room temperature.)

8 Stir Parmesan into chard leaf mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, cream and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt. Pour over chard leaf mixture and stir to combine. Tip into prepared crust and evenly distribute the bacon, chard and onion; sprinkle chard stems over top and place on middle rack in oven. Immediately reduce temperature to 350°F (177°C).

9 Bake until set but not puffed, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand for at least 30 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.

Serves 6 to 8