Egg-citing recipes for a delicious Easter weekend brunch.
With just a few eggs, store-bought, ready-baked croissants, a few slices of ham, cheese and fresh herbs, you can whip up a quick and easy brunch for your family. And research shows that starting the day with eggs can also help you stay fuller for longer, steady your energy levels, improve concentration, and reduce hunger spikes that often lead to extra snacking throughout the day.
By slicing your croissants in half and gently pressing the centre in, you create a small nest-like cavity perfect for holding all your yummy brunch ingredients.
Croissant nest egg cups
You’ll need:
- 3 large croissants (halved)
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 8 slices deli ham of your choice
- red pepper (diced)
- salt and black pepper to taste
- fresh parsley
To make: Preheat oven to 190°C and lightly grease a muffin tin. Slice croissants in half and gently press the centres to form a shallow centre that fits into the muffin cups. Crack one egg into each croissant half, then sprinkle with cheese, salt and pepper, and gently mix. Then place your diced ham and red pepper into each croissant cup, and again gently mix in. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes or until eggs are set and cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Ham and Swiss croissant bake
You’ll need:
- 8 thin slices hickory ham
- 200g or 8 slices of Swiss cheese
- ¼ cup mozzarella (grated)
- 6 plain croissants, 4 eggs
- ¼ cup cream, ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for the honey butter sauce:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup honey, pinch of salt
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary
To make: Cut croissants into halves or thirds. In a bowl, lightly whisk eggs with cream and milk and add in the herbs and spices. Dunk the croissant pieces into the egg mixture and shake off any excess liquid. Lay in a greased baking tray and pour the remaining egg mixture over.
Swirl the hickory ham slices and position them between the croissants. Then, cut the Swiss cheese into thin rectangles or use the slices and squeeze between the croissant and ham swirls. Top the dish with mozzarella. Bake at 180 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted.
While baking, make the honey butter sauce by melting the butter, honey, salt and rosemary together. Once croissant bake is ready, take a basting brush and baste the top of the croissants with honey butter sauce before serving.
