Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13x 3 inch high baking pan with parchment paper and set aside
Strawberry & Rhubarb Filling
In a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, combine the rhubarb & strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and water. Stir frequently until the cornstarch begins to thicken and the fruit has softened – about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool
Streusel Topping
In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter, or your fingers, the butter into the sugar and flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand. Use your hands to squeeze handfuls of topping together, creating some larger clumps, then place on the fridge to firm up
Cake Layer
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife or your fingers, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, sour cream*, milk* and vanilla. Pour into flour mixture; stir until just combined. Try not to over-mix. The mixture will be quite thick and similar to a loose biscuit batter
Spread half the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Top with the strawberry & rhubarb filling. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the fruit. Sprinkle with the chilled streusel topping, squeezing handfuls of topping to make sure there are at least some larger chunks of topping
Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched in the center, about 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool slightly. Dust the top with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares, with a good squirt of Gay Lea Real Whipped Cream on the side
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease 12 cup muffin tray
In a thick-bottomed pan over medium heat, add the butter, whisking frequently. Continue to cook until fully melted. Once melted the butter will foam up a bit, then subside. Watch carefully as lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter; it should have a nutty aroma. Pour into a bowl to stop the butter from cooking further and possible burning. Set aside to cool until needed
In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and oats. Cut in the butter until mixture damp sand. It’s fine if there are peas-sized pieces of butter remaining. Set aside until needed
In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. It will still appear a little lumpy
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, about 2/3 full. Sprinkle the streusel topping over muffins
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean
Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin and serving
In a bowl combine the pineberries and maple sugar, mixing well. Set aside to macerate on the countertop for at least 30 minutes before serving
Vanilla Cream
Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cream, sugar and vanilla extract on medium-high until stiff peaks, about 3-4 minutes.
Chill in the refrigerator until needed
Biscuits
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, mixing well
Using a large hole cheese grater, grate in the butter, then cut using a pastry cutter, or knife, until mixture resembles a coarse meal. You will still be able to see the butter in pieces pea-size or slightly smaller
Make a well in the centre of the dry mix
Mix together the lemon juice, vanilla, milk and the egg
Pour into the well and mix until just combined to a dough ball
Lightly flour a countertop, transfer the dough from the bowl and roll (using a floured rolling pin) to 1 inch thickness
Cut out biscuits with 3inch biscuit cutter and place on parchment lined baking sheet
Lightly brush the tops of the biscuits with the gee wash
Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top of the biscuits
Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a rack before serving
To Serve
Slice each biscuit crossways in half
Spoon some of the vanilla cream on the bottom half
Top with a generous amount of the maple macerated pineberries
Top with the other half of the biscuit
Repeat with additional dollops of vanilla cream and macerated pineberries
Yet another bake that came about from my time on Food Network Canada’s show Great Chocolate Showdown. The elimination challenge in Episode 4 was to bake a brunch dish inspired by a favorite childhood dessert, using QuakerTM oat flour. The items for selection were coffee cake, tart, pancakes, crepes and biscuits. While I’m definitely partial to a good breakfast biscuit, pancakes are much closer to my heart. Waffles give me a savory brunch option, whilst pancakes are the perfect vehicle for a sweet option.
My childhood memory would have been firmly anchored in my mom and her synonymous dessert that is Queen of Puddings. My mother was solely responsible for my ability, passion and sometimes foolhardy ambition when I bake. In my childhood memories, she’s permanently enrobed in a gingham tabard, and there was nothing this woman couldn’t make, bake or generally concoct in the kitchen. If I were to sum up a childhood of kitchen memories in one delicious dessert, Queen Of Puddings, instantly springs to mind. With layers of breadcrumb enriched vanilla custard layered with sweet, tangy raspberry jam and topped with billowy clouds of fluffy, golden toasted meringue it was my mom’s go-to dessert when ingredients were scarce. For me it’s a classic case of my mom being a kitchen alchemist and turning a few mundane ingredients into something fantastic- a fine example of the whole being more than the sum of it’s parts. The original recipe is easy and comforting, and it’s warmth, familiarity and soothing nature will always remind me a a childhood at my mother’s hip.
Of course trying to marry such a quintessentially classic comfort pudding with the concept of brunch was always going to be a fun challenge at best! In my head the signature layers of the original recipe lend themselves perfectly to create a layered, stacked brunch dessert. Here I’ve created a pancake stack bordering on an entremet- layers of pancake with ganache, custard, and jelly regally crowned with peaks of soft, fluffy meringue. Anyone for a boujee brunch?
Yes I’ve taken shortcuts here with the use of Jello-O and custard powder. For me, when making brunch, shortcuts are ALWAYS welcome. Anything that helps me get to the table fast and get the bubbles flowing even faster is always acceptable in my books! I’m not one to stand on ceremony.
Bottoms up!
Queen of Puddings Brunch Pancakes #recipe #greatchocolateshowdown
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, sliced lengthwise in half
Method
Prosecco Raspberry Gelee
In a jug combine Jell-O powder and boiling water. Stir until dissolved
Slowly add in prosecco and stir gently to incorporate
Pour into 3″ dia silicone tartlet mold to 1/4″ depth
Place in refrigerator to set
Chocolate custard
Mix the custard powder and sugar together in a small pan
Add the milk, and stir to combine
Continue heating, stirring constantly, until the custard is smooth and well thickened
Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate chunks until melted and fully incorporated
Leave to cool for 5 mins before placing into a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip
Pipe discs of the custard into a silicone tartlet mold to match your Jell-O tartlet mold
Cover the surface of the custard with cling wrap to prevent skin forming on the surface
Place in refrigerator to set
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
Gently heat the cream in a pan until just below boiling. (look for small bubble starting to appear at the edge of the cream)
Remove from heat, add the raspberry liqueur, salt and chocolate chunks and leave for 2-3 minutes
After this time gently stir to emulsify the mixture until it is smooth and uniform in color
Leave to cool to room temperature
Using a whisk or hand held mixer whip the mixture until light and fluffy. Be careful not to overwhisk in case of separation
Cover and set aside until needed
Oat Pancakes
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt
In a separate larger bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, melted butter, orange zest, and vanilla extract
Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Once nearly combined stir in the chocolate chips
Heat a griddle pan over a medium high heat. Lower heat to medium low, and using 1/3 cup measurement pour circles of pancake batter to give you 8 pancakes. Your pancakes should spread to approximately 4-4 1/2″ diameter
Cook on each side for 3-2 minutes until golden brown, flipping when done.
Remove from heat and set aside until serving
Meringue
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form
With the mixer on, gradually beat in the sugar until stiff peaks form. meringue should be glossy and smooth
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a desired piping nozzle
Assembly/ To Serve
Remove whipped ganache from refrigerator and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round plain nozzle
Pipe a round of ganache onto a pancake placed on a plate, leaving 1/4-1/2″ border
Set raspberries halves around on the border, standing up against the ganache
Place a second pancake on top
Carefully remove a round of chocolate custard* from the mold and place on top of second pancake
Carefully remove a round of raspberry gelee* from the mold and place on top of the chocolate custard round
Set raspberries halves around on the border, standing up against the custard & gelee rounds
Top with peaks of meringue piped in desired arrangement and torch to finish until toasted and browned
Serve with any remaining raspberries
*Chocolate custard and gelee rounds can be placed in the freezer, after setting, for 10-15mins to firm up to aid removal
Brunch. That luxurious limbo land existing between breakfast and lunch which in North America is honoured with unsurpassed reverence. With the best of both worlds on offer (not to mention mimosas!) it’s position of high esteem in Canuck culiary ranking is deservedly so. I’ll hold my hands up in admission to that fact that I’m a complete pushover for the sweet offerings on a brunch menu. Waffles, pancakes and sweet baked goods will be my first port of call when brunching. Not for me your eggs benedict (no matter how tasty!) nor the omelette (despite your ovate goodness).
This recipe was a quick fix for hangry pangs one Saturday morning, conceived amid the aromas of a strong ristretto. I’m not going to lie and go all “holier than thou” in regards to the ingredients. The waffle batter is where the work lies and the finishing touches are store cupboard/ pantry items bought under the caveat of “Well you’ll never know when I might need it“. What follows I say in the complete spirit of bonhomie – if you’re one of the wellness brigade who’s going to bang how neglectful and unhealthy it is to use jars of sweet spreads…save it. It’s the weekend, not nearly enough caffeine has hit my bloodstream and my cats have been meowing since 6am. I need sweet indulgence and I need it STAT! This is not a plate I serve everyday- it’s a once-in-a-while treat to ease you into your weekend routine, a sublime reminder of the good things in life. If there’s one saying I live by it’s ” A little bit of what you fancy does you good“….well that and, “Celebrate the small things“.
Like my other breakfast/ brunch recipe Christmas Morning Cinnamon Buns the bulk of this recipe can be made the night before and left to sit (covered) in the fridge until needed the following AM. A quick stir and you’re good to go and your kitchen will soon be wafting with the smell of freshly toasted waffles and marshmallows.
S’mores Pecan Waffles
Makes 4 waffle rounds (16 1/4 waffles)
2 eggs
1 tblspn fine sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
4 tspn baking powder
2 1/4 cups milk
1/4 tspn salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tspn vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
3 tblspn chocolate spread eg Nutella
3 tblspn cookie butter spread
1 cup mini-marshmallows
Method
Preheat your waffle iron
In a bowl combine the eggs. flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla, and whisk just until smooth. Fold in the toasted pecans
If required spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour/ Laddle mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Remove and plate.
Whilst still warm spread the waffle with cookie butter, then spread with chocolate spread.
Scatter the top of the waffle with the mini marshmallows. Broil under a high setting or use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows until browned and crispy. *** If using the broil method DO NOT leave the waffles unattended. The marshmallows can be quick to catch and burn.
Crumbs In My Beard 