Yield: 12 Muffins  
Ingredients & Amounts  

All-purpose flour  3 cups  
Baking powder  1 Tbsp.  
Salt  11/2 tsp.  
Butter, softened 2/3 cup  
Sugar  11/2 cups  
Eggs  3 ea.  
Buttermilk  2/3 cup  
Vanilla extract 1 Tbsp.  
Canola oil  2/3 cup  
Cranberries, fresh or frozen  23/4 cups  
Orange zest  2 Tbsp.  
Coarse sugar for topping 3 Tbsp.  

method 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the muffin tins by spraying them lightly with cooking spray or lining with muffin liners. 

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside. 

3. Cream the butter and sugar together until very smooth and light by hand with a wooden spoon or with an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, about 3 minutes. 

4. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and oil together. Gradually add the egg mixture to the butter mixture while mixing on medium speed and continue mixing until smooth. 

5. Stir the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture until the batter is evenly blended. Do not over mix. Fold in the cranberries and orange zest. 

6. Fill the prepared muffin tins about three-quarters full. Gently tap the filled tins to release any air bubbles. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the coarse sugar. Bake until a skewer inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. 

7. Cool the muffins in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing them from the pan. The muffins can be served warm or room temperature, or transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling before storing in an airtight container. Muffins can be frozen for up to 6 weeks. 

Source:  The Culinary Institute of America book Breakfasts & Brunches, p. 45 
Photos Courtesy of Culinary Institute of America 

eggs benedict 

Yield: 8 Biscuits 
Ingredients  Amounts 
Buttermilk, cold 11/4 cups Canadian bacon 16 ea. Poached Eggs (recipe follows)

16 ea. English muffins, split, toasted, and buttered 8 ea. Hollandaise Sauce, warm (recipe follows) 2 cups 

method 

1. Heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the Canadian bacon, working in batches, and sauté on both sides until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. 

2. If eggs have been poached in advance, reheat them in simmering water until warmed through. Blot on toweling and shape if necessary. Top each English muffin half with a Canadian bacon slice and a poached egg. Spoon 2 tablespoons of warm hollandaise over each egg. 

3. Serve immediately. 

Hollandaise Sauce 

Makes 2 cups 
Ingredients & Amounts 

Cracked peppercorns 1/2 tsp White wine or cider vinegar 1/4 cup Water or as needed 1/2 cup Large egg yolks fresh or pasteurized 4 Melted or clarified butter, warm 11/2 cup Lemon juice or as needed 2 tsp Pinch ground white pepper Pinch cayenne (optional) 

method 

1. Combine the peppercorns and the vinegar in a small pan and reduce over medium heat until nearly dry, about 5 minutes. Add the water to the vinegar reduction. Strain this liquid into a stainless steel bowl.

2. Add the egg yolks to the reduction and set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook the mixture until the yolks triple in volume and fall in ribbons from the whisk. Remove the bowl from the simmering water and set it on a clean kitchen towel to keep the bowl stationary. 

3. Gradually ladle the warm butter into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. As the butter is blended into the yolks, the sauce will thicken. If it becomes too thick and the butter is not blending in easily, add a little water or lemon juice to thin the egg mixture enough to whisk in the remaining butter. Season the hollandaise with lemon juice, salt, pepper and cayenne if desired. 

4. The sauce is ready to serve at this point, or it may be finished as desired. The sauce should be held warm over a hot water bath or it can be held sealed in a thermos. 

Source:  Breakfasts & Brunches, p. 155