Ah, the smell of fresh-baked muffins, the sizzle of pancakes on the griddle, the satisfaction of hot tea and warm bread…what better way to start a day entirely dedicated to you? We’re pretty sure that’s what Mom will think when you surprise her with Mother’s Day breakfast-in-bed a la Chukar:
All three treats are made with the same Lemon Cherry batter, meaning they’ll all be equally tasty with a hint of citrus and a touch of tang. Top them all with Mom’s favorite preserve (we love the Red Sour Cherry or Raspberry Cherry Preserve) and wish her a Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Chukar!
Mother’s Day Brunch
(Lemon Cherry Batter)
Ingredients:
1 cup Chukar® Dried Sweet or Tart Cherries, chopped
1 1/2 cup all purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp (for Pancakes: melt butter)
2 eggs
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup milk (for Pancakes: 1 cup milk)
3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp cooking oil (for pancakes only)
Directions:
Place chopped dried cherries in medium bowl and add enough warm water to cover. Set aside until plumped, about 30 minutes. Drain cherries in a sieve set over a bowl, pressing gently with the back of a spoon to draw off excess liquid. Reserve the cherries and their liquid.
For pancakes:
Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter, eggs, lemon zest, milk, walnuts and cherries together in a large bowl. Heat oil in pan over medium to medium-high heat. Pour enough batter into pan to make circles about 4 inches in diameter. Cook until brown on bottom, flip and cook until both sides are browned. Top with Chukar® Preserve and Toppings or Cherry Glaze (recipe below).
For Muffins or Tea Bread:
Preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter a 9×5 inch loaf pan for bread, or muffin pan for muffins. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt into a small bowl. Cream together granulated sugar, butter with electric beaters until well blended and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and lemon zest and beat until well blended, scraping down the sides a few times. With beaters at low speed, add flour mixture alternating with the milk. Add drained cherries and walnuts, use a rubber spatula to stir evenly into the batter. Spoon batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading the top evenly. Bake until top of the bread is browned and cooked through about 1 hour. Let cool slightly in pan, then turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with Chukar® Preserves and Toppings or Cherry Glaze (recipe below).
For Cherry Glaze:
Sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl, pressing on any little clumps to break them up, stir in about 1 tablespoon of the reserved cherry liquid to make a smooth glaze. When the bread or muffins are cool, drizzle with the glaze and serve. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Recipe Courtesy of Cynthia Nims
