Fooding

Fooding

I hosted a brunch on Saturday. I think it was a success. I served pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon butter and real maple syrup, bacon, papaya, cantaloupe, sour-cream apple coffee cake, coffee, mimosas, and bloody marys. Here are some recipes:

Sour-cream Apple Coffee Cake
- From the Boston Globe, Sarah Hearn

Topping:

1/3 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c granulate sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

In a bowl, combine the light brown and granulated sugars. Stir in cinnamon and mix well. (Can also add 1/2 c. chopped walnuts, but I'm not a big nuts+baked goods fan.)

Cake:

Extra butter (for the pan)
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. sour cream
2 large baking apples, peeled and sliced

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 13x9-inch baking dish.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egs, one by one, followed by the vanilla.

With the mixer set on its lowest speed, beat the flour mixture in the batter alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour.

Spread half the batter in the baking dish. Sprinkle with about 1 Tbsp of topping. Cover with apples and 1 more Tbsp of topping. Spread the remaining batter on top. Sprinkle with the remaining topping.

Bake the cake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (I used a ~12-inch round springform pan and 40 minutes left the center a little doughy.)

Let the cake cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Cut into large squares and serve warm.

Pumpkin Pancakes
About 6 servings.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Cinnamon Butter

4 oz butter
2 oz granulated sugar
2 oz brown sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon

Beat the first four ingredients together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

There's another recipe I found that uses honey instead of sugar - I think it might work out better b/c the butter won't be so . . . gritty. But I didn't have enough honey.

Oh, and on a final note, I could really use a quiet, sophisticated, non-binge-drinking weekend. I think it may happen next weekend when I go to NYC for a mini-summer associate reunion, female style. That is, if the stress of all this work doesn't compel me to bail.