by Joan Saunders –
Brunch is a magical word in my universe. I’m not much of a breakfast person, but brunch is a different matter entirely. It’s not too early in the day; it also usually involves a weekend and whatever foods one prefers. It uses recipes that may lean towards either lunch or breakfast. An egg sandwich with arugula and chipotle mayonnaise? Brunch. Bagels, cream cheese and smoked salmon? Brunch. Pancakes and bacon? Definitely brunch.
Brunch isn’t rushed; it’s relaxed and cajoles you into having just one more cup of coffee. You can enjoy dessert with brunch. You can drink sparkling wine and celebrate with brunch. It doesn’t take all day to prepare either, as you can put together casseroles that rest overnight in the fridge then are thrown into the oven in the morning. So great.
And as Valentine’s Day is in February and it’s on a Sunday, it’s the perfect excuse to have brunch with the ones you love. Put on a pot of coffee or boil the kettle for tea, scramble a few eggs and cut up some fruit. If you also take the time to make Sour Cream Cherry Scones to go along with the eggs and fruit, you’ll be a brunch hero.
What I’ve discovered with baking is that recipes with sour cream or buttermilk seem to have a bit more moistness, a bit more nuanced flavour. So now I often gravitate towards goodies that use either sour cream or buttermilk, as these scones do. If you’re not keen on cherries, you can always substitute dried cranberries, as their tartness gives a great contrast to the scone base.
Waffles are another fabulous brunch staple and, for me, they’re a celebratory food: when I was about 16 my friend and I started making waffles each time we visited one another. She lived in Vancouver and we didn’t see each other as often as we would have liked. I still have and happily use the waffle iron she gave me 30 years ago.
Waffles are a brilliant starting point for any brunch. Add some bacon and fruit, top off the waffles with a compote and whipped cream, or stick with classic maple syrup. You can’t go wrong with waffles.
Again, this recipe involves sour cream which helps create a wonderful, crispy outside while maintaining a light inner texture. Remember not to pile too much batter onto the waffle iron; you don’t want raw dough oozing out the edges. I did that far too many times before I realized that more doesn’t always mean better.
I genuinely believe that there is a hidden language we speak when we create food for the people we love, and brunch is one meal that shows others we really care.
Besides, it just tastes so darn good.
Sour Cream Cherry Scones
From: https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/19959/sour-cream-cherry-scones/
Topping:
¼ cup sliced almonds
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp water for egg wash
Scones:
2½ cups flour
½ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter (slightly softened)
¾ cup sour cream
1 egg
½ tsp almond extract
⅔ cup dried cherries (coarsely chop cherries if large; can substitute dried cranberries)
Heat oven to 375°. Place almonds and sugar for topping in bowl. Mix. Set aside.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt in another bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Combine sour cream, egg and almond extract in another bowl. Mix until smooth. Stir into flour mixture until moistened. Stir in cherries.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead eight to 10 times until smooth, adding a small amount of flour if necessary.
Divide dough in half. Pat each half into a seven-inch circle. Place two scone circles on ungreased baking sheet. Make egg wash; mix together egg and 1 tbsp water with fork in bowl. Brush onto scone circles with pastry brush. Sprinkle topping evenly over each scone circle. Score each circle into eight wedges but do not separate. Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 15 minutes. Separate scones.
Sour Cream Waffles
From: Taste of Home www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/mocha-pudding-cakes/
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1½ cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup corn oil
¼ to ½ cup milk
Mix eggs and sour cream together until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until the batter is smooth. Add the milk at the end to your preference for batter thickness. Preheat waffle iron. Bake, being careful not to spoon too much onto the iron.
