We had a houseful of people this Christmas and with guests going to bed at different times and getting up at all different times this could have been a breakfast catering nightmare.
I had plenty of ingredients ready for individual smoothies, fresh juices, eggs and bacon however one that proved a great hit was a panettone bake brunch dish I kind of adapted from two or three others I have made in the past.
I bought a panettone for the holiday, one of my Christmas shopping rituals only to find I already had one at the back of the cupboard from last year! Perfect for my brunch recipe for a crowd.
I cut about two thirds of the panettone into half inch cubes and placed in my stoneware baker.
As an added bonus this panettone had chocolate running through it but if you had a plain one you could always add chocolate chips or pieces.
In a large bowl mix eight medium size eggs with 500ml double cream, a splash of milk (about 100ml), 2 Tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly and pour over the panettone pieces. Let the cream-egg mixture soak in for about five minutes.
Sprinkle over the mixture a handful of walnuts which you can either chop up finely or roughly break into pieces.
Just before popping into the oven I grated some of the nutmeg I picked from the ground when I was at one of the chocolate growers' farms in Grenada. (The nutmeg rests in the shell until you crack it open. Inside the shell it will stay fresh for about 10 years!)
Bake in a 180-190C oven for 35-40 minutes.
When it has cooled slightly sift some icing sugar over the top.
Pour over some cream or yoghurt if you want to keep it a bit healthier! However the main thing is .... Enjoy!!
