Easter and Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons very cold buttermilk

• 1 honey baked spiral-cut ham

• Variety of mustards

Directions

Prep: Cut the butter into small pieces and place it in a bowl in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven to 425°F.

1. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt to the base of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the butter is in tiny pieces, about 30 pulses.

2. Transfer the flour mixture to a large bowl, create a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Stir until the dough starts to come together and then dump onto a floured work surface. Lightly knead the dough, just enough to form a soft dough. Shape the dough into a ¾-inch rectangle and then fold the dough over, into thirds. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, shape into a ¾-inch thick rectangle and fold into thirds again. Repeat this process one more time, ending in a  ¾-inch thick rectangle. 

3. Using a 2 ½-inch round cookie cutter, cut 6 biscuits. Make sure you cut straight down and out, do not rotate the cutter. Gather dough scraps and cut a few more biscuits for a total of 9. Place biscuits in a 9-inch cast iron skillet, so that biscuits are touching (this will help them to rise). Bake until golden brown, about 18 minutes. 

4. To serve, set out the ham, biscuits and mustards for guests to make their own biscuit sandwiches.

Yields 9 biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 bundles asparagus, woody ends trimmed

• 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

• ¼ cup Dijon mustard

• 8 ounces smoked gouda, shredded

• 1 egg

Directions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

1. Toss the asparagus in a large mixing bowl with the olive oil and balsamic and season with salt and pepper. 

2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one of the puff pastry sheets to about a 13-inch square. Cut into six equal squares. Working at a diagonal, top each puff pastry square with 1 teaspoon Djon mustard, 3 asparagus spears and 1 heaping tablespoon of cheese. Lift the two opposite sides of the puff pastry to enclose the asparagus making sure the top point is tucked underneath the bundle (this will ensure that it doesn’t open during baking). Repeat this process with the second puff pastry sheet and place bundles on the prepared baking sheets. 

3. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and then, using a pastry brush, brush the puff pastry with the egg wash.

4. Transfer to the oven and bake, rotating pans halfway through cooking, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 10 large eggs

• 5 tablespoons best quality mayonnaise

• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon

• 1 bunch fresh chives, chopped

Directions

1. Place the eggs in a pan and cover with cold water until there is 1 inch of water above the eggs. Set the pan over medium-high heat on the stove and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let sit for 10 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice and water and transfer the eggs to the ice bath for 10 minutes. Peel eggs and slice in half, lengthwise. 

2. Remove the yolks from the eggs and add them to a mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash the yolks  and then stir in the mayonnaise, mustard and salt and pepper, to taste.  

3. Place the egg whites on a serving platter. Pipe or spoon the yolk mixture into the whites. Garnish with a small piece of smoked salmon and sprinkle with chives.

Serves 10

Ingredients

• 4–5 small beets, trimmed and scrubbed

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 small cloves garlic, crushed

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

• 3 cups plain Greek yogurt, plus more for garnish

• Dill sprigs for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place a large piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and pile the beets into the middle. Drizzle the beets with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Gather the foil around the beets, seal tightly and transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Roast until the beets are fork-tender, about an hour. Cool to room temperature. Use paper towels to remove the skins and roughly chop the beets.

2. Add the beets, garlic, shallots, yogurt, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper to a bowl and use an immersion blender to puree until completely smooth. This is meant to be a thick soup but if you want a thinner consistency, you can add water or broth. You can serve this soup at room temperature or chill for up to 24 hours.  

3. To serve, pour soup into 2-ounce shot glasses and top with Greek yogurt and a sprig of dill.

Yields about 5 cups

Ingredients

Thyme Simple Syrup:

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ½ cup water

• 5 sprigs fresh thyme

Pink Champagne Cocktail:

• ½ cup granulated sugar, for rim of glass

• 3 ounces freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice

• 2 ounces top-shelf gin

• 1 ounce thyme simple syrup

• Champagne, chilled

• Thyme sprigs, for garnish

• Grapefruit slices, for garnish

Directions

1. To make the simple syrup, place the sugar, water and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirling the pan, cook until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to steep for 30 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs.

2. Place the sugar on a small plate or in a shallow bowl. Rub the rim of a cocktail glass with a grapefruit wedge and then dip into the sugar to coat the rim. Set aside.  

3. To make the cocktail, add the grapefruit juice, gin and 1 ounce thyme simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds and pour into the sugar-rimmed glass. Top the cocktail with 1–2 ounces of Champagne. Garnish with a thyme sprig and grapefruit wedge and serve at once.

Makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes: 

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 3 large egg whites

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• ½ cup whole milk

• 30 candy-coated chocolate eggs (such as Cadbury)

Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 4 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

• ¼ cup whole milk

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Red food coloring

Directions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners.

1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. In a standup mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the egg whites and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture and milk in thirds, alternating dry and wet ingredients. Mix until combined, but don’t overmix.  

3. Fill muffin cups with the cake batter about ¾ of the way. Transfer to the oven and bake until completely set, 12–14 minutes. Let cupcakes sit for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

4. To make the buttercream frosting, place the butter in the bowl of a standup mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the butter for 2 minutes or until it is perfectly smooth. Add the confectioner’s sugar, milk and vanilla and beat on low until combined and then on high for 30 seconds. Mix in food coloring, 1 drop at a time, until you get your perfect shade of pink. Chill the frosting for about 30 minutes as it will make it easier to work with.

5. When cupcakes are completely cooled, frost with a small offset spatula or a piping bag and tip. Top each cupcake with a chocolate egg and serve. 

Yields 30 mini cupcakes