Mother’s Day Brunch © Courtesy of Egg Farmers of Ontario
The long winter is finally blooming into May and with it comes a very special day to celebrate—Mother’s Day. For many of us, finding the perfect way to honour whoever you call mom can be an overwhelming experience, especially when tasked with pulling together an elegant brunch.
There is one simple ingredient that can help that are a staple of brunch tables everywhere…eggs!
Fresh, high-quality Ontario eggs are nutritious and delicious, but they are also versatile. Think outside of the box (or carton!) and pull out all the stops with a full spread of items like Aged Cheddar and Thyme Gougère, Sweet and Savoury Twists, Thai Egg Salad Cups, Vietnamese Chicken Fritters or Honey Lime Mixed Berry Shortcake.
Did you know when you buy eggs in the grocery store, they come from one of the 500 farm families from across Ontario? They go from farm, to grading station, to store shelves in only four to seven days so you can be sure they are fresh and high-quality. Look for the Egg Quality AssuranceTM (EQA®) symbol on your carton or flat to ensure you are purchasing eggs that meet rigorous standards for on-farm food safety and animal care programs.
Visit getcracking.ca/recipes to find these recipes, or try one of our favourites:
Aged Cheddar and Thyme Gougère
Yield: 48 | Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
Gougère
- ½ cup (125 ml) milk
- ½ cup (125 ml) water
- ¼ cup (60 ml) salted butter
- 1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1¼ cup (310 ml) shredded 3-year-old Cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 tsp (5 ml) pepper
- pepper for seasoning
Strawberry Butter
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) salted butter
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) strawberry jam
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) on convection. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- Gougère: In a medium saucepan, heat milk, water and butter over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.
- Scrape mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low; add one egg at a time, beating until fully incorporated before adding the next egg; about 6 minutes.
- Using a spatula, fold 1 cup (250 ml) of the cheese, thyme and pepper into the mixture. Add mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe about 1 tbsp (15 ml) mounds onto baking sheet; about 24 mounds on each baking sheet. Season extra pepper onto mounds and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining mixture on second baking sheet to make about 48 puffs total.
- Strawberry Butter: In a small bowl, mash together butter and jam until fully combined.
- Serve gougère warm with strawberry butter for spreading.
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Ontario eggs are healthy, easy to prepare, affordable and produced by local farmers. Egg Farmers of Ontario is pleased to offer you recipes, cooking techniques and tips to simplify meal preparation.