The Art and Soul of Baking: The Warmth of Christmas Breakfast

There’s a lot required of Christmas breakfast – it needs to be special, celebratory, easy (or at least do-ahead), appealing to kids and adults, and not too filling, since there are treats and dinner just ahead. That’s a tall order for a morning meal. My solution is to always go simple, seasonal and comforting. We have steaming café au lait bowls of hot chocolate topped with cream, a compote dish filled with citrus segments – blood oranges, navel oranges, oro blanco and ruby grapefruit – along with super-crisp bacon, and either French toast or scones, both of which can be prepared ahead of time.

For French toast, simply soak the bread in the custard overnight and it will be ready to sauté to golden crispness in the morning. I like to include cardamom, cinnamon, and a splash of Grand Marnier in the custard. Scones can be prepared even further in advance, so there’s nothing to do the night before. Several days (or weeks) ahead, make the scone dough, cut it into portions, freeze until firm, then transfer into a ziptop freezer bag until Christmas morning. Once the bacon is done, turn the oven up and, as you warm the hot chocolate, bake the scones (yep, straight from the freezer to the oven, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time). Or if you don’t want to get that far ahead, simply make the dough the night before, cut it, and arrange for baking on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until morning.

There are plenty of delicious scone ideas, but the most outrageously over-the-top one I can think of is Chocolate Toffee Scones. Moist and tender and bursting with mini chocolate chips and toffee chips, then topped with even more toffee chips that melt into a crisp crust of caramel-y goodness, these are a special occasion treat. Just the sort of thing for Christmas morning. If you want to be just a bit more restrained, try the Buttermilk Scones with Dried Cherries and Orange, which are deceptively simple yet incredibly addictive. Both of these recipes have converted scone haters – “they’re so dry and dense” – into scone addicts – “Oh wow, this is how scones are supposed to taste!” Comforting, easy, and delicious – either one is pretty much the perfect start for a warm and wonderful Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

More A Taste of Tradition ideas and recipes follow after the jump

Chocolate Toffee Scones

Makes 8 Scones

For those who like their breakfast, tea, or snack time treats to be outrageously over the top, these decadent scones, filled with miniature chocolate and toffee chips, are just the ticket. They are especially moist due to the inclusion of eggs in the dough rather than the usual cream or buttermilk. You could dress them up with the grated zest of an orange or a handful of toasted and finely chopped walnuts or almonds, but the extra sprinkling of toffee chips already gilds these lilies. The toffee melts, then cools into a crunchy, golden brown topping. Oh yeah.

Equipment: Baking Sheet, Parchment Paper or a Thin Silicone Mat, Food Processor Fitted with a Metal Blade, Small Bowl, Whisk, Silicone or Rubber Spatula, Chef’s Knife, Cooling Rack

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup (1¾ ounces) sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup (3½ ounces) mini chocolate chips
½ cup (2½ ounces) plus ¹⁄³ cup (1¾ ounces) toffee baking bits
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400°F and position an oven rack in the center. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a thin silicone mat. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of the food processor and process for 10 seconds to blend well. Add the cold butter pieces and pulse 5 times at 1-second intervals, or until the butter is cut into medium pieces. Add the mini chocolate chips and the ½ cup toffee baking bits but do not blend them in. In the small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla until well blended. Pour the egg mixture into the processor and pulse another 25 times, or until the dough holds together in large, thick clumps.
Use a spatula to scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently squeeze or knead the clumps together until they form a cohesive dough—it may seem a bit dry at first, but will come together with a few kneads. Pat the dough into a circle 7 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick. Use a chef’s knife to cut the dough into 8 equal wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Lightly press the remaining ¹⁄³ cup toffee chips onto the tops of the scones, dividing evenly. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, until fully risen and golden brown, especially around the bottom edges. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the scones warm or at room temperature.

Storing: Once baked, serve the scones within 6 hours, when they are at their freshest and most appealing. Store uncovered at room temperature until serving time.

Buttermilk Scones with Dried Cherries and Orange

Makes 8 Scones

Buttermilk does wonders for baked goods, adding a touch of acidity and an appealingly homey taste whenever it is included. Buttermilk scones are a classic—these are perfumed with orange zest and flavored with chewy nuggets of dried sour cherries. And they’re easily adapted. Omit the sugar and you’ve got warm dinner biscuits. Change the flavorings and you change the scone—try dried blueberries and lemon zest, dried cranberries and ginger, or dried apricots and toasted hazelnuts.

Equipment: Baking Sheet, Parchment Paper or a Thin Silicone Mat, Food Processor Fitted with a Metal Blade, Silicone or Rubber Spatula, Chef’s Knife, Pastry Brush, Cooling Rack

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup (1¾ ounces) sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
Finely grated zest of 1 large orange
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup (3 ounces) dried sour cherries
¾ cup (6 ounces) cold buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 425°F and position an oven rack in the center. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a thin silicone mat. Place the flour, ¼ cup sugar, orange zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of the food processor and process for 10 seconds to blend well. Add the cold butter pieces and pulse 5 times at 1-second intervals, or until the butter is cut into medium pieces. Add the dried cherries, but don’t blend them in. Pour in the buttermilk and pulse another 20 times, or until the dough holds together in large, thick clumps. Use a spatula to scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently squeeze or knead the clumps together until they form a cohesive dough.
If the dough seems sticky, lightly dust your work surface with flour. Pat the dough into a circle 7 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick. Use a chef’s knife to cut the dough into 8 equal wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Brush the tops with a thin coating of the beaten egg (you will not use all the egg). Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, until firm to the touch and golden brown. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve the scones warm or at room temperature.

Storing: Once the scones are baked, serve them within 2 hours, when they are at their freshest and most appealing. Store uncovered at room temperature until serving time.

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