Tag Archives: breakfast

Eggy bread with berries, crème fraîche and maple syrup recipe

18 Dec

Christmas party season is in full swing. Knowing that I had my work Christmas party on Friday evening, I bought all of the neccessary food supplies for the weekend on Thursday evening after work. And I’m so glad I did.

I have a huge amount of eggs in the house at the moment so thought of ways to use them up. One idea was eggy bread, something that my mum used to make me every weekend when I was younger. I adored it but for some reason I’ve never made since I flew the nest. It is best made with brioche but I used granary bread and it was still delicious.

Eggy bread with berries, crème fraîche and maple syrup (Serves 2)

Ingredients

4 slices bread / brioche
2 large eggs
120ml whole milk
1/2 vanilla pod, deseeded
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
2 tbsp crème fraîche
100g butter
Handful of berries
Drizzle of maple syrup
Dusting of icing sugar

Method

1. Whisk the eggs, icing sugar, milk and vanilla pod seeds together in a bowl
2. Place the slices of bread in a tray and pour the mixture on top. Leave for a couple of minutes and turn over so that the dry bread soaks up the remaining egg mixture
3. Heat the butter in a pan until melted. Turn the heat down slightly and place the eggy bread into the pan. Cook on each side for three minutes, or until brown on each side
4. Place two slices on each plate. Place a handful of berries, a tbsp of crème fraîche, a dusting of icing sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup on top.

ENJOY!

Albion at The Boundary Project

9 Apr

I’ve had my eye on Albion ever since they started using the fantastic social media contraption that is Baker Tweet. So why is it that I’ve not visited until this weekend? Who knows.

After a short stint at the London Coffee Festival, we walked over and were lucky enough to snag a table outside.

We walked past the fantastic array of freshly baked loaves, cakes, GIANT cookies and delicatessen and were presented with the menu.

Having not eaten breakfast deliberately so that I could enjoy a lazy brunch, I was quite disappointed when I looked at the menu. The only breakfast options were a fry up (called Albion breakfast), a breakfast bap or field mushrooms on toast. Not a sweet brunch treat in sight and I felt it slightly inappropriate to opt for the GIANT cookie or inviting rhubarb tart for breakfast.

So we went for the Albion breakfast and field mushrooms on toast to share. A tin of freshly baked bread and a pot of butter arrived at the table first, which was a very welcome bonus. The white slice was still warm, a sign of the freshness. I’m not used to receiving a bread tin at breakfast time but then again I’m not complaining.

The breakfast arrived and I was immediately delighted to see a big potato rosti on the Albion breakfast plate and the delicious waft of garlic from the mushrooms on toast filled my nostrils.

The beans were homemade, not the tinned kind and the eggs perfectly poached. The mushrooms on toast however stole the show with their buttery, garlicky deliciousness.

The Albion has it’s quirks – golden syrup knife and fork pots and treacle tin sugar pot. Plus, the inside is light, airy and you get a good view into the open plan kitchen. Not quite sure I’d buy my fruit and veg from the display out the front but it sure looks good.

I was eying up the cakes before I left but was put off as they weren’t covered and I spotted a few flies lurking. I was tempted by one of the loaves of bread but didn’t want to carry it around all day so will make sure I get one next time.

One more thing – we popped in Allpress Espresso on our way to the next destination and I’m pleased to say that the flat White was an absolute delight, much better than my last visit.

Albion
2-4 Boundary St
London E2 7JE
020 7729 1051

Albion at The Boundary Project on Urbanspoon

Sent from my iPhone

Banana and Cinnamon Loaf Recipe

4 Feb

Don’t worry, I’m not going to preach to you about how amazing Australia is for brunches and fresh cakes again, although the banana bread there was what lead me to make my mind up about the country being the best.

I baked my first loaf of Banana Bread a couple of years ago and was absolutely bowled over at how amazingly easy it is to bake and how delicious it tastes toasted with a smothering of butter on top. It’s just too good.

IMG_4851

This recipe is for a simple Banana and Cinnamon loaf – just bung all of the ingredients in a bowl, mix, pop into a loaf tin and an hour and a half later, you can tuck into it warm! YUM!

My loaf tin wasn’t as big as I needed so I used mini loaf tins for the left over batter. They are a great size for one serving and look pretty too.

IMG_4853

Ingredients

225g self-raising flour
100g unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
150g golden caster sugar
3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 180degrees
1. Line a loaf tin with baking parchment – I didn’t have any so I just oiled the tin with sunflower oil
2. Pour all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until combined
3. Pour into the ready lined tin and place in the middle of the oven
4. Bake for around 1 hour and a half

Enjoy with a cup of tea for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Sayers, Leederville

28 Dec

Another day, another early beach walk followed by a delicious brunch. This time – Sayers in Leederville, my favourite suburb in Perth.

Having had one of the best brunches of my life here last year, the visit this morning was highly anticipated. Having already had French Toast and Pancakes, I decided to go for a savoury option.

Three of us decided to share two savoury dishes and then get the Crepes with Hot Chocolate dipping sauce and Peanut Brittle for pudding. The breakfast menu is pretty large and Sayers pride themselves on providing the best quality ingredients including locally baked Barrett’s Bread, fresh free range eggs from Pioneer Farms, Perth Pura Milk and 5 Senses Coffee.

We shared the Claypot of Sayers Coriander and Cumin Beans, Baba Ganoush, Poached Egg & Toasted Rosemary Oiled Turkish Bread and the Potato Rosti, Poached Eggs, Bacon, Onion Jam, Lemon and Scented Wilted Spinach.

My boyfriend ordered the beans last year and they stuck in his memory – we have recreated this dish a few times over the last year when we’ve had time for a lazy Sunday brunch. The Chickpeas and Butterbeans are slow cooked in a tomato sauce and topped with a perfectly runny Poached Egg. I didn’t try and of the Baba Ganoush as I’m not a fan of Aubergines but the Coriander sauce was fantastic – almost like Pesto.

The Potato Rosti came as a fat wedge, accompanied by two slices of Bacon with the Onion Jam slathered on top of the Rosti. I didn’t notice at the time but they had substituted the Spinach for Rocket – I do prefer Rocket so in retrospect it was probably better! There were also two Poached Eggs on the top, again cooked perfectly and with a sprinkling of delicious fresh Parmesan.

We finished the two savoury dishes and moved onto the Crepes. I have to say that they were slightly disappointing. They came in a fancy bowl with rounds of Orange, which was not on the menu and not to any of our liking! The hot Chocolate Sauce that came in a small bowl was faultless but the Crepes themselves were doughy and not cooked properly. This however is no reflection on the cafe and when I told the waitress, she gladly took them away and promptly replaced them with a fresh batch. We realised that the batter might be too floury because apart from being slightly browner and crispier on the outside, the middle was still quite doughy.

My boyfriends sister had her own dish – the Nutty Muesli with Poached Pear, Yoghurt and Honey. I was slightly jealous as this was what I had my mind on before we arrived at the Cafe due to seeing it last year and liking the look of it. The only reason that I didn’t order it is because I think I could have that anywhere and make it just as good myself.

Sayers also have a wide range of freshly baked cakes (amazing flourless chocolate cake) although it’s expensive even for one slice. At $7, it’s worth getting the breakfast.

The coffee is also exceptional. Aussies often complain about the Brits coffee when they come over to the UK and I can see why. I tasted (or should I say stole about 1/3) of my boyfriends Latte and it was beautifully creamy and not too strong.

I only have another 8 days in Perth and I’m praying that I’m going to find a moment to go back to order the Muesli for myself.

224 Carr Pl Shop 1
Leederville, 6007
(08) 9227 0429
http://www.sayersfood.com.au

Sayers on Urbanspoon

American pancakes with blueberries and maple syrup

11 Jul

We’re having a heatwave at the moment. I can’t remember the last time we had so many scorching days and balmy evenings and I don’t know about you but the heat really takes it out of me. On days like this I dream of being sat by a cool swimming pool or lying on a beach listening to the waves lap up on the shore.

But the reality is, I’m stuck in a clammy city with no air conditioning and the closest I get to that beach is the dirty, grotty Thames or a lido full to the brim with excited pasty (and lobster red) Brits.

This weather calls for some energy food so I opted for American pancakes with blueberries and maple syrup this morning.

American pancakes with blueberries and maple syrup

I used a recipe by Louisa Carter. Check out her food photography, it’s pretty tasty.

Ingredients

135g plain flour
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
130ml milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp melted butter
lashings of maple syrup
handful of juicy blueberries

Method

1. Melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds (depending on the strength of your microwave) and place in the fridge until you need it
2. Place the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a bowl
2. Whisk the milk, beaten egg and butter together in another bowl or jug and add to the powder mixture
3. Whisk lightly – the mixture looks lumpy at first but I promise, the lumps disappear
4. Heat a frying pan and throw in a knob of butter. When this has melted, ladle some batter into the pan
5. When the pancake starts bubbling at the top, turn over and cook for another minute or until the other side is light brown
6. Stack on top of each other – drizzle with maple syrup, scatter with blueberries and you’re done

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 3,586 other followers

%d bloggers like this: