First things first: Breakfast

Breakfast isn't just the most important meal of the day - it's also proved the bedrock of Bill Granger's business. Here, he shares three of his favourite morning dishes.

Breakfast is very special to me. When I opened my first restaurant aged 23, I could open only from breakfast to lunch, due to strange vagaries of the local licence. Having been knocked back from three sites, I couldn't be fussy, so the challenge was how to make things work. I soon learnt that while my customers were adventurous after midday, eating food from the far corners of the globe, at breakfast they wanted something comforting and straightforward. So I set about recreating classics and have done so ever since. This month, I opened my first restaurant in London and, you guessed it, breakfast is the meal that starts the day!

For more from Bill, visit billgranger.co.uk

Raspberry scones

Pleasantly dry and not too sweet, these are particularly good for a morning pick-me-up and, like all scones, they benefit enormously from a good cup of tea.

Makes 8

250g/8oz plain flour

1 tbsp caster sugar

3 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

100g/3 oz cold unsalted butter, cubed

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

125ml/4fl oz double cream

85g/3¼oz raspberries, frozen or fresh, tossed in a little flour

For glazing

1 large egg, mixed with 1 tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6 and line a baking tray with baking paper. Pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it is roughly combined, like a crumb consistency, although there will still be lumps of butter. Tip into a bowl and mix in the eggs and cream with a knife. Gently add the raspberries with your hands (tossing them in a bit of flour first prevents them all sinking to the bottom of the dough). Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and press into a 15cm (6in) round. Cut into quarters and then cut each quarter in half. Place in a round on the baking tray and brush with the egg and milk glaze. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm, with butter if you like.

Corn pancakes with bacon and Maple syrup

Maple syrup with bacon is a classic sweet-savoury combination that just works.

Makes 12-14

400g/13oz sweetcorn

140g/5oz flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

150ml/¼ pint milk

2 eggs

50g/2oz butter, melted and cooled

Sunflower oil for frying

To serve

Crispy bacon

Maple syrup

Sea salt k

Preheat the oven to 120C/250F/Gas 3. Now place half the corn, flour, baking powder, sugar, milk, eggs and butter into a blender and process until combined. Pour into a bowl and stir in the remaining corn.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and brush with a little butter and oil. Drop 2 tablespoons of mixture per pancake into the pan and cook in batches of three for 2-3 minutes on each side. Keep warm while you make the rest of the pancakes.

Top with bacon, drizzled maple syrup and a sprinkling of sea salt and serve.

Quick Bircher muesli with poached cranberries

I like to soak oats for bircher muesli overnight in a little apple juice. But always on the look-out for a shortcut, I find tossing them in some milk and yoghurt for 5-10 minutes does a great job.

Serves 4-6

150g/5oz quick-cook rolled oats

250ml/8fl oz milk

250ml/8fl oz yoghurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp honey

3 apples, finely sliced into thin batons

50g/2oz whole almonds, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

For the poached cranberries

115g/3¾oz caster sugar

100ml/3 fl oz orange juice

1 cinnamon stick

300g/10oz cranberries, fresh or frozen

Start with the poached cranberries. Place the sugar and orange juice in a saucepan. Over a low heat, slowly dissolve the sugar. Add the cinnamon stick and bring the syrup to the boil. Add the cranberries, cook for 1-2 minutes or until they soften but hold their shape. Remove the cranberries using a slotted spoon and place into a serving bowl. Return the syrup to the heat, bring to the boil and reduce by half. Pour the syrup over the cranberries and set aside until needed.

Now mix the oats, milk, yoghurt, vanilla and honey together. Let it sit for 10 minutes or longer to soften. Stir through the apple and divide into bowls. Add more milk if a thinner consistency is preferred. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve with the poached cranberries.

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