Interesting Recipe Ideas Using Clarence Court Eggs
Ever had that discussion whether the Christmas feast is at dinner time or lunch time? Believe me, it’s a constant quarrel we tend to hear as we head into the festive period!
So, why not put the spanner in the works and switch up the conversation completely…A Christmas Brunch?! It is the perfect way to create a relaxed environment on Christmas day amongst your family and friends as you tuck into dishes that you know and love…but with a festive twist! The reason we love a brunch here at Maldon is that there is never a set time, and you’re literally combining two meals in one, breakfast and lunch! Take your time; indulge in the delicious treats and share memories with loved ones around the table, building up the excitement for the rest of your plans on Christmas Day.
For this, we’ve teamed up with our good friends Clarence Court Eggs to bring you an abundance of classic, brunch-styled recipes to be enjoyed over the Christmas holidays. Jump to recipes such as our delicious ‘Turkey Scotch Eggs’; ‘Quail’s Eggs in Blankets’, and our tantalisingly good ‘Turkey, Cranberry and Stuffing Croque Madame’ to feast your eyes on a selection of savoury favourites. Or perhaps you are more into the sweeter things in life? If so, head over to recipes including our showstopping ‘Gingerbread and Butter Pudding’, or ‘Almond and Orange Buns’ to become truly embraced by the comforting, wintery flavours.
What Makes Clarence Court Eggs Special?
In our opinion, Clarence Court Eggs are better than most because they offer the widest variety of eggs sold across Britain; from the classical Burford Browns, to Quail’s Eggs and even Ostrich Duck! The reason why their eggs are adored by so many is that the Clarence Court birds are completely free-range, roaming freely across England’s green fields. This means that they lay at their own natural pace – never rushed – which causes the eggs to become deliciously distinctive and richer in flavour.
As soon as you spot The Clarence Court crown on a box, you know that behind the eggs is a team of dedicated, specialist farmers who nurture and provide specialist care for the birds to deliver the ‘finest, free range eggs’ on their farms. It is because of this that you will find an intense, golden yolk when you crack open a Clarence Court egg, due to the rich diet and care that the farmers give to their birds…resulting with dishes bursting with flavour from the use of their bounty.
Now let’s take a look into the delectable brunch recipes that we have cooked up with Clarence Court! But first and foremost, are you team savoury or team sweet?
Savoury Brunch Recipes
For those who want a hearty way to start the day, we’ve cooked up several brunch dishes that hold focus on savoury flavours. With dishes infused with the wintery herbs and spices, your guests will be giving you praise as you introduce them to a brunch-feast fit for a king.
Christmas Spiced Turkey Scotch Eggs
Ah yes – the humble scotch egg. With the origins claiming to be derived from the renowned Fortnum & Mason department store in London within the early 1700s, this traditional dish consists of a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat and breadcrumbs. However, we wanted to take traditional and give it a festive sprinkle! Instead, we use turkey mince, spiced with the wintery flavours of cranberries, thyme and sage to enhance the spirit of Christmas with every bite you take. For the egg, we use the classic Clarence Court Burford Brown, soft boiled to give an oozing burst of taste. With a final sprinkle of Maldon Salt and our black peppercorns and you have created a savoury sensation to be loved by many over your Christmas brunch feast!
Quail’s Eggs in Blankets
Pigs in blankets are a cult favourite in Britain around the festive period…but it could be considered a little ‘meat-heavy’ if you’re tucking into these in the morning/early afternoon. So, we’ve whipped up a ‘brunch’ friendly alternative…Eggs in blankets using Clarence Court’s Quail’s eggs! The reason we chose quail’s eggs is because they are beautifully bite-sized and can be cooked in a matter of minutes. Therefore, when wrapped around a buttery blanket of pastry, this recipe will create the perfect little treat to be shared around brunch-time with family and friends…dig in!
Turkey, Cranberry and Stuffing Croque Madame
Cooked up a Christmas banquet and still have leftovers? Fear not, as we’ve created a glorious Croque Madame recipe packed with leftover turkey meat, stuffing and of course the renowned Burford Brown Eggs to be enjoyed around the table. Originating from France, the dish is the French version of a cheese toastie, but we’ve given it a Christmas touch with the use of shredded turkey meat and stuffing, sandwiched between sourdough bread. We fry the Burford Brown egg so that once you bite into the sandwich, you are met with a delicious ooze of rich yolk to give a burst of flavour. To give a node to the classic Croque Madame, we created a delectable béchamel sauce to be grilled on top of the sandwich, which is flavoured with parmesan and gruyere cheese and then sprinkled with the festive notes of nutmeg and a pinch of Maldon Salt to make the dish sing!
Sweet Brunch Recipes
Who say’s brunches need to be completely savoury? We’ve dished up recipes that can be also be enjoyed and loved by your fellow sweet-tooth friend. With the delightful flavours of winter orange; almond, nutmeg and cinnamon, your guests will be transferred to recipes in which will keep them warm throughout the day as the gear up for the rest of Christmas Day.
Gingerbread and Butter Pudding with Eggnog Custard
The classic bread and butter pudding… treasured by many for its simplicity but greatness in flavour. Believed to have been created dating back the early 11th century, we’ve took classical and introduced it to festivity through the use of Gingerbread loaf and Eggnog Custard! Made by slices of ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice loaf, the layers are met with the warming blanket of vanilla cream and whole milk spiced with cinnamon. Oven baked, the dish comes out proclaiming with flavour and wintery aromas that will make your guests sing with praise. For the topping, the Eggnog Custard is the final touch for this showstopping dish, where we use Clarence Court’s Leghorn White Egg Yolks to give warming, rich touch to the recipe.
Festive Orange and Almond Buns
These buns are filled with the Christmas flavours of orange, almond, and cinnamon which are perfect for a festive brunch. The dough comes out perfectly tender, which is great when you are tearing and sharing amongst friends and family. We also demonstrate the importance of an egg wash for these treats, using Clarence Court’s Burford Brown. The reason this holds importance is that the egg wash creates the pastry to become shiny and have a gorgeous, golden colour to them when baked in the oven. Not only is it significant in appearance, the egg wash also acts as a glue, helping the buns stick together and holding its shape within the baking process.
Ho-Ho-Ho…Delicious!
From reading this article we hope you become inspired to not become limited in creating the traditional dishes you would usually make around Christmas. Brunch is a way of exploring different flavours, whether that being savoury or sweet!
Make sure you have your Maldon Salt ready for these dishes! If you are running out, please feel free to browse on our Where to Buy Page to find your nearest store in which stocks our beloved Maldon Salt ahead of the festive season…especially for our Smoked Salt for the delicious Festive Turkey Scotch Eggs.
Lastly, we LOVE seeing your creations – please tag us on Instagram using the #maldonsalt so we can share your culinary masterpieces on our socials.
