Brunch
Mocha Toffee Cashew Bars
You might be tempted to bake 2 sheets of bars at a time in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Don't give in to this urge—they must go in the middle of the oven to cook through and brown evenly.
Sour Cream-Orange Coffee Cake with Chocolate-Pecan Streusel
The streusel here is both a filling and a topping — for twice the crunch and flavor.
Pizza Bianca with Prosciutto, Arugula, and Parmesan
Called bianca, or "white," because they are sauceless, these crispy pizzas are the essence of clean flavor. The toppings are added after the crusts come out of the oven, melting the cheese slightly. This recipe makes two round pizzas or four rectangular ones.
Golden Pancakes with Pecorino and Prosciutto
These crepe-like pancakes also make a great brunch dish. What to drink: The saltiness of the ham and cheese calls for a fruity white wine with thirst-quenching acidity, like Tuscany's Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Caramel-Walnut Tart with Chocolate Glaze
A classic combination of tender shortcrust pastry and soft, candy-like caramel filling.
Ashkenazic Sour Cream Coffee Cake (Smeteneh Küchen)
Coffee cakes rank among the most popular of comfort foods, welcomed at breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and as the name indicates, coffee breaks. A coffee cake batter is generally more liquid than a quick bread one and contains a bit more sugar, and as a result, the final product is lighter and moister. On the other hand, coffee cakes tend to be less sweet than butter cakes. There are many versions of kuchen, this streusel-topped sour cream type being a very popular one. It is commonly served at the meal following Yom Kippur, or Shavuot, and on Sabbath afternoons or the melaveh malcha ("accompanying the queen") party following the Sabbath. For the later occasion, spices are added to the batter and topping, reflecting those used during the havdallah ceremony signaling the end of the Sabbath.
By Gil Marks
Gravlaks with Sweet Mustard Sauce
Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are reprinted from Andreas Viestad's book Kitchen of Light: New Scandinavian Cooking. _Viestad also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.
Traditional gravlaks is made from two whole salmon fillets and flavored only with salt, sugar, dill, and pepper. If the fish is good, there is nothing better. The gravlaks found in American markets is normally very mild, sometimes slightly scented, often with dried dill. Fresh dill has a taste that is discreet and subtle; it flavors the salmon nicely without competing with the fish's own flavors.
Some cookbooks suggest freezing the salmon before you prepare it, to get rid of harmful microorganisms; with modern hygienic treatment of fish, this should not be a big issue. If you do freeze it, do it after it has been cured. Some of the proteins that may be damaged when freezing fresh fish will have broken down in the cured fish, so gravlaks can stand up to freezing better than fresh salmon can. The gravlaks will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Gravlaks is normally served as one of many cold dishes in a buffet or smorgasbord. Serve with Sweet Mustard Sauce and scrambled eggs and dark rye bread for open-faced sandwiches, or with pickles and capers.
By Andreas Viestad
Ham-and-Cheese-Croissant Bake
Big pieces of croissant get baked in a savory custard alongside ham and plenty of cheese for the ultimate breakfast casserole.
By Jesse Szewczyk
Babka French Toast Bake
This breakfast-for-a-crowd crams everything good about babka into a hearty casserole: sweet custard, cinnamon, chocolate, and tender slices of bread.
By Jesse Szewczyk
Pumpkin Mochi Crumb Cake
Classic crumb cake meets bouncy pumpkin mochi cake for this season's dessert mashup.
By Alaina Chou
Chicken Breakfast Sausages
Give your favorite breakfast sausage a makeover with ground chicken. A blend of spices (fennel, smoked paprika) and some maple syrup makes these patties shine.
By Kendra Vaculin
Chocolate-Date Bran Muffins
Not your grandma’s bran muffins, these fiber-rich baked goods are loaded with dates, almonds, and slivers of dark chocolate.
By Kendra Vaculin
Spicy Eggplant Frittata
Silky Japanese eggplant and fiery serrano chile unite in this no-fuss frittata that’s brunch-ready, dinner-worthy, and wildly good.
By Shilpa Uskokovic
Blueberry Muffin Baked Oatmeal
A nourishing, cozy breakfast you can throw together with fresh or frozen berries.
By Hali Bey Ramdene