Mollie Katzen's spicy gingerbread gets a boost from fresh ginger and dry mustard. Top with apple compote. Photo by Arza Barnett. Sugar and spice make autumn breakfast especially nice when combined with apples in a compote. Pancakes are always a favorite and, when made with hearty oatmeal, have more rustic appeal.
Apples are a natural partner.
Gingerbread may seem an odd choice for breakfast, but taste this recipe before you write it off. Made with fresh grated ginger and substituting plain yogurt for the usual buttermilk, this cake is just barely sweet. Combine it with apples, and it really makes a much better breakfast than over-rich coffee cake or cloying doughnuts. There's no need to buy premium-priced, large apples for this recipe. Smaller apples in bags will work fine.