Nothing says “OMG, it’s the
weekend!” like pancakes. Someone has taken the time to get up before
you, cook them, toss the first one because it’s always horrible, and
deliver crisp-edged discs of sweet dough to you in bed, at the table, or
while you’re watching cartoons. (Come on, we’ve all been there.) Or
maybe that person is you, and you love your people enough to ensure that
they wake up to the scent of pancakes.
There’s no need to eat plain
Jane pancakes when there’s a whole world of options out there, though.
Here are a few of our favorite flapjack add-ons, because while a good
thing is good, why not go for great?
Bacon
Crumble bits of cooked bacon
into the batter, or—if you’re feeling like a champ—pour batter over
whole cooked slices. Bacon, syrup, pancakes, in one fell breakfast
treat.
If you’re a citrus fan, you can add bits of orange zest or a splash of juice to the batter itself. Maybe go for sugar or honey instead of syrup on this one; citrus and honey are familiar friends.
Chocolate Chips
Classic for a reason. Add as many as you want, again at the batter stage. And hold off on syrup; a flurry of powdered sugar and a fat slab of butter are the way to go, so you can more easily taste the chocolate.
Blueberries
You feel that much healthier
when you get fruit into the batter, and blueberries add an excellent
texture sensation—all juice and pop—when they are pancake-i-fied.
Raspberries add color, tartness and all-around delight. Be sure to chop them small or puree them. If you do the latter, add them to the batter with a tiny bit less liquid than you’d otherwise use.
Peaches
Peaches are the epitome of summer, and chopped small they lend textural interest and natural sweetness.
Bananas
Rare is the child who doesn’t
flip for a banana pancake. Adults have a tough time resisting their
charms, too. Slice the bananas thin, adding them to the pancake while on
the griddle for looks. You can also mince them and add them to the
batter, if you prefer.
There’s an inimitable lightness
to a ricotta pancake; try swapping out the milk in the recipe below for
ricotta, and drizzle in a bit of milk if the batter looks too thick.
Top them with honey or a spoonful more of ricotta, hit with a light
dusting of black pepper. (Trust us.)
Around the winter holidays, swap the milk portion of your recipe for eggnog. Garnish with grated nutmeg and cinnamon for the most Christmas-y brunch we can imagine.
Granola
Quick pancakes get a wholesome (and just the right amount of hearty) with oatmeal, walnuts, honey and cinnamon.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
1 Whisk
together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees if you need to keep cooked pancakes warm.
2 Whisk
together milk, butter (or oil), and egg in a medium-sized bowl. Add dry ingredients
to milk mixture and whisk together until just moistened. Be careful not to over
mix; a few lumps are totally fine. Heat a large skillet (non-stick or
cast-iron) or griddle over medium-high heat. Very lightly oil skillet. Spoon 2
to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet for each pancake, using the back of the
spoon to spread batter into a round.
3 Cook
until pancakes show a few bubbles, of which some have burst, 1 to 2 minutes.
Flip using a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes
more. If needed, transfer pancakes to a baking sheet or platter; cover loosely
with aluminium foil, and keep warm in oven. Continue with more oil and the rest
of the batter.
Nice br
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