Hot cross buns are a staple at my house during Easter. My Mum is a big fan of them, however it wasn’t until I became an adult that I got a liking for them. I was one of those children that used to turn my nose up at anything with raisins in it. I’d eat the raisins by themselves, but if they were in a muffin, I wouldn’t touch it. How times have changed! Now I can’t get enough of cinnamon raisin bread and hot cross buns.
breakfast
Treats from Ovenly
One of my co-workers used to live in Greenpoint and I remember her sharing a baked good with me one day, which had berries and tasted incredible. This was my first time trying anything from Ovenly, and I was so impressed I had to try more. I finally went there last weekend around 11am. I spied one last Blueberry Cornflake Muffin. It was mine! I have a thing for good berry muffins. Then, I thought, I can’t come all the way here and just get a muffin. So I also chose a Salted Peanut Butter Cookie and a piece of Espresso Burnt Sugar Shortbread, A.K.A The Stumptown Shorty.
I had heard claims that Ovenly’s Salted Peanut Butter Cookies were the best you could find anywhere. I had even read these claims in online reviews. But I’m not going to lie: when I first saw these cookies in person, I thought they looked too small and how could anything that small be the best? Well that old cliche, ‘good things come in small packages’, definitely applies here!
Pancakes with Caramelised Bananas & Maple Syrup
In 2010, 2 years before I came to live in NYC, I read about Clinton St. Baking Company and how famous they were for their breakfast items, especially the pancakes. I went on Amazon and ordered their cookbook so I could make these, along with other specialties, at home. These are quite simply the best pancakes you can ever have. Neil Kleinberg, co-owner and chef at Clinton St. Baking Company, perfected the recipe entitled ‘Neil’s Pancakes’ and made them classically authentic – something delcious, wholesome, truly satisfying and as natural as can be. Two flavors were put on the menu: blueberry, using tiny wild Maine berries, and banana-walnut. After weeks of experimenting, Neil came up with his now famous pancake base: fluffy, chewy and crispy on the edges, with all the complexity of a yeast-risen cake.
I wanted to put my own spin on this amazing recipe, so I decided to caramelise bananas using coconut sugar, cinnamon and a touch of coconut oil for frying – keeping with the natural tradition of Clinton St. Baking Company
Chocolate-Raspberry Croissant from Épicerie Boulud
Colored croissants are not as common in the US as they are in Europe. This beautiful, striking Chocolate-Raspberry Croissant ($4) from Daniel Boulud takes 3 days to make. It is unique in the fact that the layers are so precise, you could count them, and the outside is crunchy, with a sweet, buttery inside. But be fair warned: this croissant is not for the faint of heart. It is sinfully rich and decadent. The brains behind this candy-striped creation is Francois Brunet, who is in charge of the bread and viennoiserie at all of Boulud’s restaurants across the city.
Mixed Berry Bran Muffins
I’ve always been a huge fan of bran muffins, but sometimes it can be hard to find a truly decent one. Some are overly dry or lacking in flavour. In my early twenties I lived in Canada for 6 months, and I made a habit out of eating a freshly baked bran muffin every other…