Maple Pan Popovers

The first time I made these my oldest daughter said, "Mommy, I love these more pancakes." I wondered really, really she liked these more than pancakes, so I asked, "how 'bout more than crepes?" "More than crepes," she responded, "and more than ice cream, maple syrup, and chocolate." Coming from her that's saying something.

She's right, these do make a pretty exceptional breakfast - especially when topped with maple mixed berries and maple whipped cream. They're simple-  flour, eggs, a little sugar and milk and less than 5 minutes prep time. Then in to the oven for another 20 or so. Viola, the perfect breakfast.

Pan Popovers
1 Cup Flour
4 Eggs
1 Cup Milk
2 Tbsp Granulated Maple Sugar
2 Tbsp butter
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place four small (4" cast iron pans) on medium heat with a 1/2 tbsp of butter in each pan. Alternatively you could cook the popovers in two batches or use two larger 8" to 10" pans. 

Mix flour, eggs, milk and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. When pans are hot, pour 1/4 of the batter into each pan and swirl. Then place pans in preheated oven. 

Cook for ~20 minutes or until the popovers are golden and puffy.

Maple Berries

1/2 Cup Granulated Maple Sugar

12 oz Frozen Mixed Berries (use fresh if in season)

Place mixed berries in a sauce pan with granulated maple sugar. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat when berries are thawed and juices has reached a slightly syrupy state. 

Maple Whipped Cream 
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream 

1/8 to 1/4 Cup Granulated Maple Sugar

Beat maple sugar and whipping cream together until it forms stiff peaks. 

Top pan popovers with berries, and then with whipped cream and serve.

Maple Sugar Cake

Robust maple flavor, a crackly maple sugar candy like crust and super moist...It's a great cake. Typically gone in a matter of minutes after coming out of the oven. I'll admit is that it's not the prettiest of cakes, but really does it matter if the cake doesn't last until it's even cool. If you could keep around longer than I've been able to, you might just get a chance to add some maple butter cream frosting and create the truly ultimate maple cake.

Maple Sugar Cake

1/2 Cup Butter

3/4 - 1 Cup Granulated Maple Sugar

1/2 Cup White Sugar

3 Large Eggs, separated

1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla

1 Cups Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Cup Buttermilk

Line the bottom of a round cake pan with parchment paper, then sprinkle 1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated maple sugar on to the parchment paper. Set cake pan aside.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl combine flour and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat 1/2 cup butter until fluffy. Gradually add 1/2 cup granulated maple sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar. Beat well. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating until blended. Add vanilla and mix. Alternate adding the flour mixture with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the flour mixture. 

In a separate bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into cake batter, making sure not to over mix. 

Pour cake batter on top of the granulated maple sugar in cake pan and bake or 25 minutes or until done at 350 degrees.

Remove from oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto serving dish. 

Serve with maple whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

Rustic Quiche with Maple Apple Chicken Sausage

For more than a year now we've been a part of a wonderful CSA. They provide us with great vegetables and local products year round. We don't grow much wheat for flour in Vermont, but we do grow some other grains and as a result we've a pantry full of mixed grains, oats, barley, etc from the CSA. Figuring out what to do with them has been a challenge. They aren't really foods we've cooked much.

So, over the weekend when I was wondering what to make...feeling like we had a house full of food and nothing to cook...I decide to venture out and make what I'll call a "rustic quiche." - mixed grains, whole wheat flour and a little maple sugar to sweeten the crust, leftovers from the fridge for a filling  (maple apple chicken sausage, broccoli, potatoes from breakfast and a few onions), topping it all off some good Vermont cheddar cheese. The results were, well, the kind of meal that makes you feel good, full and warm.

Multi-grain Crust
Mixed Grains
Water
Whole Wheat Flour
Maple Sugar


Cook the mixed grains on simmer. One part grains to two parts water. Cook until the grains are soft and the liquid has mostly evaporated or been absorbed. You'll need to stir occasionally to prevent the grains from sticking and burning to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and add flour. I'd say about equal parts mixed grain and flour, but start slowly it may not actually be that much - continue to add flour and mix until the mixture holds a shape. Add maple sugar (I used about 1/4 cup - translates probably to roughly a quarter part). Place the mixture into a pie or desired baking dish and press until evenly distributed along the bottom and sides - about a half inch thick.

The Filling
The filling could really be anything you desire. I imagine ham and leek would be wonderful or bacon, swiss chard, and onion.The opportunities are endless. 
Eggs
Milk
Broccoli
Chicken Sausage
Potatoes
Cheddar Cheese
For this particular version it was chicken sausage, potatoes and broccoli. I mixed 8 eggs with about a cup of milk (remember I really just cook and don't measure much - so go by what feels right). Seasoned the mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.


Sliced two links of maple apple chicken sausage and lined the bottom of the crust with these. I then add some frozen broccoli. Again maybe a cup. I then poured the egg mixture over the the broccoli and sausage. I then added the pre-cooked potatoes. Distributing them evenly over the top. Finally, I topped it all with a generous amount of cheddar cheese.

The quiche cooked in 375 degrees. I pulled it out when the crust was golden and the eggs had set about 40 minutes. Served with a small side salad and a glass of red wine.