Breakfast - Brunch

Warm butterscotch sauce annoints brioche (ok, challah, white bread or old croissants will do) bread-pudding. You have sweet and buttery along with bits of bright red, tartness – no wonder they call it Thanksgiving. This dessert is something to be grateful for. Warm, it’s bistro-dessert decadence. Cold, in squares? It’s indescribably addictive. I suppose you could add butterscotch chips to this or pecans but I like it as it is: pure and sweet.

 

These are restaurant (think IHOP) style pancakes. They are tender but hearty and probably the best pancakes you will ever make. I am already working on a multi-grain version but these are holiday makers. They positively shriek: we are on vacation!!! The malt powder is another trick in this recipe and the source for malt powder online, is included.

I heard about a bakery that somehow combined cake mix and a yeast dough to make great cinnamon buns and was intrigued to try my own version. Wow! This recipe makes a light, almost feathery cinnamon bun. Chill overnight and bake off first thing in the morning for fresh buns by the time The Sunday New York Times arrives.

These totally rock. I don't know what I like better about these muffins: their taste, their crumb or their hue or their healthy appeal. An incredible piece of baking art. Truly, there is no other way to say it. 

A trendy, zesty cheese scone that uses both Wisconsin Asiago and sharp cheddar, as we; as a shower of crisp bacon for a smokey, extravagant scone that is a just about a meal; that's how satisfying it is - a true gourmet bistro scone. 

This is rustic bread, nicely shot through with nippy Cheddar cheese streaks and a few sweet raisins. The combination of cheese in this traditional hearth bread keeps its old-fashioned tone but nicely freshened with cheese addition.

 

Nothing beats the taste of bakery style cheese Danish but this quicker cake is pretty satisfying and half the effort. It is not a dough but a yeasted cake, topped with sweetened cream cheese Danish filling. This elegant, slice-able Danish is for pros and beginners both and is satisfying to the last crumb.

This is a great company dish for brunch. You can prepare it the night before and reheat. But either way, it is great big buttery slabs of fresh toast, stuffed to the gills with a cheesecake filling and covered in a mellow, apple topping. Outstanding.

These are deep chocolate pastry/cake/muffins – made with leftover challah, brioche, white bread or even croissants. They puff up into mounds of chocolate and are lunch-bag perfect or coffee time friendly. They are luxurious made large, or decadent little treats, if you make miniatures. They also freeze well. If I had more time, I would invent a brownie streusel topping. Ah well, next time….