If your new year food resolutions include starting the day with a proper breakfast Charlotte Smith-Jarvis’ suggestions could be just what you need. Photos: Sarah Lucy Brown
Breakfast, the most important meal of the day. I’m the first to admit I’m not a great breakfast eater during the week. But, come the weekend, there’s a kind of serenity and satisfaction to getting up a bit later, preparing something to put a smile on everyone’s faces, and poring over magazines with a steaming cup of tea. Here are some recipes I love.
Sticky date pancakes
(makes around 20 small pancakes)
These gently spiced, sticky toffee flavoured pancakes can go two ways. Either top them with poached oranges or dried fruits as I did, or, if you’re being naughty, smother them with a lovely toffee sauce. Thursday Cottage’s banoffee curd, or Scarlet and Mustard’s toffee apple curd, would both work well.
Ingredients
125g pitted dates chopped finely, 300g self-raising flour, 75g plain flour, 2tbsps brown sugar, 1tsp mixed spice, 1/2tsp ground cinnamon, 500ml milk, 50g melted butter, 1 egg, oil for frying.
Method
Soak the dates in boiled water for about an hour to soften. Drain and mix with the flours, sugar, spices, milk, butter and egg.
Prepare a pan with a coating of oil, get it nice and hot, and add the mixture in tablespoons, allowing to bubble up and set at the edges before turning.
Serve warm – however these do freeze well.
Baklava granola
(makes 1 large tubful)
Granola doesn’t take long to make and is so versatile. I’ve served it here with natural yoghurt and pomegranate seeds mixed with a touch of rosewater, which tastes beautifully perfumed.
Ingredients
20g unsalted butter melted, 75g brown sugar, zest two oranges, 120g runny honey, 100g pumpkin seeds, 500g rolled oats, 75g sesame seeds, 75g chopped dates, 100g shelled pistachio nuts, 75g almonds chopped roughly, 1.5tbsp rosewater
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 170C. Mix together the sugar, honey, butter and orange zest. Combine the other ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour over the liquid mixture. Combine well and spread over two lined, large trays. The mixture should sit in a single layer.
Cook for 15-20 minutes, turning often until toasted and golden. Cool completely then store in an airtight tub or jar.
