You can’t really get any better than an Easter brunch of pancakes, bacon, sausages, sweet and savoury versions of French toast, frittata, tea, lattes, and champagne cocktails.
Oh wait, you can if that brunch is homemade. Check.
And you can if that brunch is made by Sugar. Check.
When your plate looks like the following, there’s nothing left to do but smile, pick up your knife and fork, and dig in.
The bliss that comes from eating such food confirms why breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
A high from sugar, white flour, cheese, pork, butter, pork and butter fat, alcohol, and caffeine is the stuff of legend.
So, what’s that red stuff on the plate?
Overheard: Fruit at breakfast is like green vegetables at Thanksgiving.
An unnecessary reminder that you’re not being as good as you could be in the health department.
That’s where the Barefoot Contessa comes in. Like many contemporary chefs, she’s not shy of adding a little richness to her fruit and veg.
For Easter brunch, I made our fruit fat (read: delicious) by making her mascarpone fruit dip. It was like melted vanilla ice cream. Rich, but not crazy-rich like whipped cream. Not too sweet. Just perfect.
Mascarpone Fruit Dip
1 small tub (around 250 g) of mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons of honey
Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
Seeds from one vanilla bean
Mix—you can thin with cream if you like.
Then, serve.
Lastly, enjoy.
4 comments
TSS says:
Apr 14, 2009
Thanks for the visual heart attack… looks wonderful, though…
cream says:
Apr 16, 2009
No problem, T.
Cheryl says:
Apr 18, 2009
Brunch is the best meal invention ever. Ever.
lisa says:
Jan 28, 2010
I make a similar version of this dip. You simply can’t go wrong with mascarpone. (My recommendation…never read the label when using this delightful indulgence. You WILL be frightened.) Regardless, try this fruit dip recipe. It is AWESOME!!!
1 small tub mascarpone
1 pkg Nefachtel or cream cheese, softened
3 TBS sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 to 10 oz frozen or fresh mixed berries, pureed (I like strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, but you can use whatever you like.)
Gran Marnier
Whip together first 4 ingredients. Slowly fold in the pureed berries. I like a thicker dip, so I use closer to 5oz of the berries, but add them to your taste preference. I also like the lighter color that fewer berries adds to this delicious dip. Finally, add orange liquer to taste. Refrigerate at least one hour and serve with fresh fruit or cookies. Yum!!