Impress Mom With A Brunch

Mother's Day this weekend is a time to honor and celebrate mom's everywhere. So, why not start the day off right by surprising her with the perfect Mother's Day brunch?

The Early Show has teamed up with the folks at Williams-Sonoma at their flagship store in New York City. And cookbook author Tori Ritchie shares an easy, yet special, brunch menu that any mom would love and any kid can assemble.

Almost everything can be made the day before, avoiding potential Sunday morning chaos which could upset mom on her day. And don't forget to set a pretty table!

The following are the recipes for a Coffee Cake, Coddled Eggs and Ginger Tea:

Brown Sugar-Macadamia Nut Coffee Cake

Buttery-rich macadamia nuts have a pleasurable melt-in-your-mouth consistency. Native to Australia, macadamia trees have been planted in Hawaii, where they flourish. Because the shells are very hard, the nuts are usually sold shelled in vacuum-packed jars or in bulk. Shelled nuts spoil quickly and therefore should be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator. The oil extracted from macadamias is extremely low in saturated fats, free of cholesterol and high in omega-3 fatty acids, making it healthier than olive oil. The oil should also be refrigerated.

For the topping:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the cake:
1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 cup macadamia nut oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round springform pan. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper and grease the paper.
2. To make the topping, in a small bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut or rub in the butter until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
3. To make the cake, coarsely chop the macadamia nuts and set aside.
4. In a bowl, stir together the all-purpose and cake flours, granulated and brown sugars, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, oil and vanilla until well blended. Stir the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium speed or a wire whisk, beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
6. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle evenly with half of the topping. Cover evenly with the remaining batter. Sprinkle evenly with the nuts, gently pressing them into the batter, then cover with the remaining topping.
7. Bake until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the sides of the springform pan, if using. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges. Makes one 9-inch cake.

Coddled Eggs

Coddling is a gentle method of cooking that produces soft-cooked eggs. Perfect for a simple brunch, coddled eggs can be assembled the night before, then cooked in the oven just before serving, as described in this recipe.

Ingredients:
4 tsp. unsalted butter, plus more for buttering
8 eggs
4 tsp. heavy cream (optional)
8 Tbs. grated cheddar or other cheese, chopped ham, crumbled cooked bacon, chopped green onions or minced fresh herbs

Method:

1. Butter 4 egg coddlers and place 1 tsp. butter in the bottom of each one. Break 2 eggs into each coddler. Top each with 1 tsp. cream and 2 Tbs. cheese, ham, bacon, green onions or herbs. Screw on the lids and refrigerate the coddlers overnight.
2. Preheat an oven to 350°F.
3. Place the coddlers in a baking dish and pour in hot water to come halfway up the sides of the coddlers. Bake until the whites are just set and the yolks are runny, 25 to 30 minutes, or until done to your liking.
4. Using an oven mitt, remove the coddlers from the baking dish. Remove the lids and serve the eggs immediately in the coddlers. Serves 4.

A gentle cooking technique, coddling produces soft-cooked eggs. They can be prepared simply, seasoned with salt and pepper, or embellished with cooked diced bacon or ham, grated cheese, and chopped scallions or fresh herbs, as we've done in this recipe. A bit of cream enriches the dish.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 eggs
4 tsp. heavy cream
1/4 cup cooked diced bacon
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (chèvre) or other cheese
4 tsp. scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
Salt and freshly cracked five pepper blend, to taste
Toast for serving

Method:

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F. Have a pot of boiling water ready.
2. Butter the bottoms and sides of four 5.4-fl.-oz. Apilco ramekins with the 2 Tbs. butter. Put 1/2 tsp. butter in the bottom of each one. Break 2 eggs into each ramekin; then top each with 1 tsp. cream, one-fourth of the bacon and cheese, and 1 tsp. scallions. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the ramekins tightly with aluminum foil.
3. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the whites are just set and the yolks are runny, 18 to 22 minutes; for set whites and hard yolks, bake for 22 to 30 minutes.
4. Remove the ramekins from the baking dish and remove the foil. Serve immediately with toast. Serves 4.

For a festive touch, wet the rims of tall glasses and dip in a mixture of finely chopped crystallized ginger and sugar.

Ingredients:
1 piece fresh ginger, 3 inches long, peeled and coarsely grated
10 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup loose tea leaves such as English Breakfast or Earl Grey
Cracked ice

Method:

1. Place the ginger in a large, non-aluminum bowl. Pour in 4 cups of the water, cover and let stand undisturbed for 48 hours.
2. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and place over a saucepan. Strain the ginger water through the sieve; then add the sugar to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring; then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the tea and cover. Let steep for 5 minutes. Strain into a large, heatproof pitcher and pour in the remaining 6 cups water. Stir well, cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Pour over cracked ice in tall glasses. Serves 8.