Recipes to make the perfect Mother's Day brunch from eggs Florentine to chocolate French toast

If you're celebrating Mother's Day at home with family this weekend, why not whip up a delicious breakfast in bed?

Whether you opt for a fresh pastry, eggs Florentine over crispy potato cakes or classic buttermilk pancakes, culinary icon Emeril Lagasse has a recipe that every mom is sure to love!

Check out five of Emeril's recipes below for Mother's Day brunch inspiration!

Blueberry Raspberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

Ingredients:
Topping
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zestMuffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
3/4 cup fresh raspberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

To make the topping, in a medium bowl, mix together the topping ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ginger.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the melted butter. Add the buttermilk and orange zest and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just to combine. (Batter will still be somewhat lumpy; do not overmix.) Gently fold in the blueberries and raspberries so the berries do not break open and pour into the prepared muffin tin. Crumble the streusel topping evenly over the muffins and bake until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Let cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on wire racks.

Eggs Florentine over Crispy Potato Cakes

Ingredients:
Sauteed Spinach
Mornay Sauce
Crispy Potato Cakes
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Prepare the sauteed spinach then transfer to a coloander set over a bowl to drain. Keep warm while you prepare the remaining components. Prepare the Mornay Sauce and keep warm while you prepare the remaining components. Prepare the Crispy Potato Cakes and keep warm in the oven while you poach the eggs.

Add the spinach to a skillet set over medium low heat. Stir in two-thirds of the Mornay sauce and heat until creamy. Remove from the heat and set aside covered until ready to use.

Poach the eggs by breaking them into individual saucers or cups. Fill a medium skillet halfway with water. Add the vinegar and salt and bring to a boil. Pour eggs into water, cover the skillet and remove from the heat. Allow to sit four to five minutes.

When the eggs are ready, divide the potato cakes evenly between two dinner plates and top each with some of the creamed spinach. Remove the eggs from the skillet with a slotted spoon and gently place on top of the creamed spinach and potato cakes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Serve with the remaining Mornay Sauce.

Chocolate French Toast with Strawberry Syrup

Ingredients:
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 1/2 cups fresh or unsweetened frozen strawberries
3 eggs
1/2 cup vanilla sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
8 to 10 slices French bread (sliced on bias 1/2-inch thick)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Unsweetened whipped cream, for garnish
Confectioners' sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:
Make strawberry syrup: In a small saucepan combine syrup, sugar, spices and strawberries. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Lower heat to simmering and cook until thick and syrupy consistency is reached. Keep warm.

Make chocolate french toast: In a large shallow bowl whisk eggs. In a small bowl combine vanilla sugar and cocoa until well-blended and whisk into eggs. Whisk in milk. In a saute pan, preferably nonstick, heat half of oil over medium heat. Dip bread slices in egg mixture until thoroughly moistened. Carefully transfer half of bread slices to pan and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once. Transfer to warmed plate. Repeat with remaining bread slices. To serve, drizzle with strawberry syrup, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Buttermilk Pancakes

These super simple pancakes come together in a flash -- the perfect "go-to" pancake recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg, unbeaten
2 to 2-1/2 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil

Directions:
Mix and sift the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Combine the egg and 2 cups of the buttermilk; add the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Add the butter or oil and, if too thick, more of the buttermilk until the desired thickness is achieved.

Cook the pancakes on a preheated greased griddle until golden brown on both sides.

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Gooey Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients:
Cinnamon Bun Dough
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup raisins, optional
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Nutty filling
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Place the milk in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until the milk is warm, about 110 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the heat.

Combine two tablespoons of the granulated sugar with the yeast in a small mixing bowl, whisk in the warm milk, and let rest until slightly thickened and foamy, about five minutes. This lets you know that the yeast is working.

Sift the flour, the remaining four tablespoons of granulated sugar, and the salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the softened butter, egg, raisins (if using), and the yeast mixture, stirring well with a large wooden spoon to incorporate all of the flour. Place the dough on a work surface sprinkled with two tablespoons of flour and knead until smooth and elastic, about three to five minutes. The dough should not be sticky. If it is, add a bit more flour and continue kneading to work it into the dough. (Alternately, mix the dough in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.)

Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and lightly grease it with the vegetable oil. Place the dough into a large mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest in a warm, draft-free place and allow to rise until doubled in size, about an hour and a half. Punch down the dough and allow it to rise a second time, about one hour.

When the dough has risen, divide it into two equal portions. In a small mixing bowl, make the nutty filling by combining the brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter, and stirring until smooth.

Place one portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle with a little bit more flour, then use a rolling pin to roll it into a large rectangle, about 12 inches by 9 inches. Using the back of a small spoon, carefully spread half of the nutty filling over the top of the dough. With the long end of the rectangle facing you, roll up the dough into a tight cylinder.

Pinch the edges together and use a sharp knife to cut one-inch-thick slices. Place the rounds on a large baking sheet, leaving half an inch between the rounds. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Cover rounds with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm, draft-free place until risen by half their size and almost touching, 30 to 60 minutes.

Make sure the oven rack is in the center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Combine the glaze ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove buns from the oven and drizzle the glaze over the tops. Serve warm.

All recipes reprinted with permission courtesy of Emeril's Homebase.

Editor's Note: This story was originally published on May 12, 2019.