Cocoa Dutch Baby

I've been thinking.  Maybe Pancake Week should go on forever.  And ever and ever.  I know my family wouldn't mind. 

Seriously, this is probably the last one.  We've had a really great week this year.  I made this Cocoa Dutch Baby for my family Valentine's morning, served with strawberries and whipped cream; orange juice, and turkey sausage on the side. 

I prepped the dry ingredients the night before, just to hurry things along in the morning, but it was seriously fast and easy to whip up in the food processor.  Pour it in the pan, pop it in the oven.  The longest part is waiting for the oven to preheat (mine is a slowpoke!)

Rave reviews all around.

Cocoa Dutch Baby (print recipe)
Serves 4 to 6
3/4 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 T unsalted butter
3 T confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a blender, combine milk, eggs, flour, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and granulated sugar. Blend until foamy, 1 minute. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet*, melt butter over medium. Pour batter into skillet and immediately transfer to oven. Bake until puffed and set, 20 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

*If you don't have a 10-inch cast iron skillet, you can also use a 9-inch round cake pan.

Recipe from Everyday Food

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes with (American) Clotted Cream

Are we having a good Pancake Week?  I am.  My friend Sheri had us over for breakfast the other day, and served us these pancakes of her own invention - a melding of her family's secret pancake recipe, and her favorite banana oatmeal cookies.  And the proverbial cherry on top?  Her homemade faux clotted cream.

Real clotted cream is a sinfully awesome British product - a thick cream made by indirectly heating full-cream cow's milk using steam or a water bath and then leaving it in shallow pans to cool slowly. During this time, the cream content rises to the surface and forms 'clots' or 'clouts'.  I likey.  So does Sheri and her family.  So she figured out how to best imitate it using stuff we have in America.  It's pretty awesome on these pancakes.  And pretty much everything else in the whole world.  Add jam as necessary.

Or in my case, I just drizzled on some leftover eggnog syrup.  Divine.

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes (print recipe)

1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup quick cooking oats

3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 or 2 very ripe bananas
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1.  Combine milk and oats in a bowl and set aside to soak. 

2.  Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, set aside. Cream together sugar and oil. Add egg yolks and bananas (one at a time) until well blended. Add baking soda, baking powder,  cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and salt, and mix until incorporated. Slowly add milk and oats then flour and mix until just combined with no large lumps. Gently fold in egg whites.

3.  Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until large bubbles appear and then pop. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

"Clotted Cream"
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup whipping cream
2 T confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Recipes from Sheri Wadman

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd and Fresh Raspberries

Heaven!  Simply heaven!  Shanna's family unanimously voted these as their very favorites, of all the pancakes she tried.  What could be better than light, fluffy, and oh-so-lemony pancakes?  Unless you also drizzle with lemon curd, that's the only way they could be better

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (print recipe)

Makes 4 to 6 pancakes

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Butter, for griddle
1 (11-ounce) jar prepared lemon curd
Fresh raspberries, for garnish
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

1.  Preheat a nonstick griddle.

2.  Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together the cheese, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Brush the hot griddle with butter. For each pancake, pour approximately 1/4 cup measure of the batter on the griddle and cook on both sides until light golden brown. Repeat until no batter remains.

3.  Empty the contents of the lemon curd into a small saucepan and warm over low heat. Alternatively, remove the lid and place in a microwave oven on 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stopping after 1 minute to stir the curd. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the curd over the pancakes, top with fresh raspberries, and sprinkle with confectioners' s sugar.

Recipe from Bobby Flay and tested by Shanna Stratton

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes with Marshmallow Honey Butter

 You're dying, right?  I know!  These pankies are pretty outrageously good.  And I'm picky about raisins.  But in these, they shine...without outshining. 

If you've paid any attention to my sources, you might be saying, wow, she's really cooking a lot from Joy the Baker.  It's true, I'm in love with her cookbook, and we're still having a good honeymoon.  But this week especially, because her first chapter is called pancakes pancakes pancakes...and lesser breakfast items.  How could that not show heavily during Pancake Week?

Then there's the butter.  Dessert Club member Sheri made some killer Marshmallow Honey Butter to fill her winning Russian Rose Bread, and I just had to try it.  What better palate than pancakes?

Also.  My 6-year-old has really terrible allergies in the spring.  Someone told me if you eat local honey it helps reduce allergic reactions to pollen, so I bought some at the market where we got our Halloween pumpkins.  Couldn't hurt, I figured.  Turns out, she doesn't even like honey.  But we've been having a good time using it up anyway, and if she happens to ingest any, well, we'll take any help we can get.  She did like this honey butter, at least. 

 Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes (print recipe)

Makes about 3 dozen small pancakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
2 T packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Big pinch freshly ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 T pure maple syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled plus more for the griddle
1/3 cup golden raisins

1.  Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200 degrees F.  This will help keep the cooked pancakes warm while you finish the entire batch.

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.  Set aside.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, maple syrup, and melted butter.  Add the buttermilk mixture, all at once, to the flour mixture and fold together with a spatula until all of the flour is incorporated.  Fold in the raisins.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

4.  Heat griddle over medium heat and add a touch of butter to melt.  Spoon or pour batter onto the hot griddle.  Heat until the bottom is browned and the top is bubbly.  Flip and cook through, about 2 minutes on each side.  Place on a heatproof plate in the oven to rest until ready to serve. 

Recipe from Joy the Baker by Joy Wilson

 Marshmallow Honey Butter
Makes 1 cup

1/2 cup butter (I used salted), softened
1/4 c honey
1/4 c marshmallow fluff

In an electric mixer on medium speed, whip ingredients until fluffy and well-combined.  Serve with pancakes or pretty much anything in the world. 

Recipe from Dessert Club member Sheri Wadman

Black Forest Pancakes

Here's a nice one for Valentine's Day (Happy, by the way.)  Chocolate, cherries, and plenty of whipped cream; you can hardly go wrong. 

Black Forest Pancakes (print recipe)

Makes 2 servings

1 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 T butter, melted
2 cups cherries, pitted and halved
2 T sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 T sugar

1.  Mix the flour, cocoa powder, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  Mix the milk, egg, and butter in another large bowl.  Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. 

2.  Heat a pan over medium heat and melt a touch of butter in it.  Pour 1/4 cup of the mixture into the pan and cook until the surface starts to bubble and the bottom is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Flip the pancake and cook the other side until the bottom is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Repeat for the remaining batter.

3.  Meanwhile, simmer the cherries, 2 T sugar, cornstarch, and water over medium heat until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.  Whip the cream and 2 T sugar until soft peaks form.  Stack the pancakes, layering with cherry sauce and whipped cream.  Garnish with fresh cherries and/or chocolate shavings.

Recipe from Closet Cooking (love that guy) and tested by Shanna Stratton

Bacon Black Pepper Waffles

 As far as I'm concerned, waffles are honorary pancakes.  I do not judge these breakfast sisters by their shape; I embrace their likenesses, while respecting their differences.  The main thing is that they are hot, comforting...and freakin' good with maple syrup. 

 And if there happens to be bacon and black pepper in them, all the better.  And all the more embracing that will be taking place.  My kids only thought these were so-so, but keep in mind they are accustomed to toaster waffles with artificial "blueberry" bits in them; I have no one to blame but myself.  I, however, lo-o-o-o-o-ved these waffles; I froze the leftovers and ate them for breakfast all week, savoring every sweet-salty-smoky-spicy-buttery bite.  Can't wait to make them again.

 

Bacon Black Pepper Waffles (print recipe)

Makes 16 waffles

10 slices bacon

2 1/2 tsp fresh, coarsely cracked black pepper, divided
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1.  To make the bacon: position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange bacon slices in a single layer across the sheet.  Sprinkle generously with 2 tsp black pepper.  Place in the oven to bake until bacon is brown and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and place bacon slices on a plate lined with paper towels.  Once cool enough to handle, chop bacon into bite-size chunks and set aside while you prepare the waffle batter.  

2.  Set your waffle iron on a level, clean surface and turn on to preheat.

3.  To make waffles: in a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and brown sugar.  In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, vanilla, and buttermilk.  Add the buttermilk mixture, all at once, to the flour mixture.  Stir until just incorporated.  Fold in the bacon.  Try not to overmix the batter.  If a few lumps remain, that's OK.  Cook according to your waffle iron instructions.  Serve with warm maple syrup - heaven!

Variation: If you don't eat bacon, or just want to try it a different way, subtract the bacon and black pepper and add 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg and 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon to the batter!

Recipe from Joy the Baker by Joy Wilson

Eggnog Pancakes with Eggnong Syrup

I asked my Dessert Club colleagues if anyone would like to help me try, and write up, recipes for Pancake Week.  I got a range of responses - some silent, some saying they have no good pancake recipes, and some saying, "Heck, yeah, sounds like fun!"  My friend Shanna in particular really embraced the challenge of Pancake Week, gathering and testing numerous recipes on her family of seven, and I think we've all come out winners because of it.

She said these eggnog pancakes and eggnog syrup really taste deliciously like eggnog, amazingly so.  But, she said, in the future, she would probably have the pancakes with a maple or buttermilk syrup, and serve the eggnog syrup over plain pancakes.  Together, they were too much.  But each with a simpler partner, perfection.

Eggnog Pancakes (print recipe)

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 T sugar
1 cup eggnog
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup oil or melted butter
1/4 cup milk, optional

1.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  In another small bowl, mix eggnog, egg, and oil.  Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir just until blended.  (At this point, you may need to add the milk, depending on how thick or runny you want your pancakes to be.  I like mine thinner.) 

2.  Preheat griddle to medium high and grease with oil or butter.  Pour approximately 1/4 cup batter on hot griddle for each pancake.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles begin to form and edges are set.  Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on other side, until golden and center is no longer runny.

Eggnog Syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup eggnog
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 T corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
Whipped topping, optional

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, eggnog, milk, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda.  Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Pour warm syrup over hot pancakes and top with whipped topping.

Recipe from High Heels and Grills, tested by Shanna Stratton

And as a BONUS, hello, I am giving you Shanna's own recipe for homemade eggnog, in case you want to make these during the other eleven months, when eggnog is harder to come by.  This eggnog is amazing and delicious and makes the whole fridge smell like heaven!

Shanna's Homemade Eggnog
Makes a ton

6 eggs

3/4 cup cream or evaporated milk

1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding

1/2 cup sugar

8 cups milk

1 tsp rum extract

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Beat eggs for 5 minutes (I use an immersion blender).  Add cream and pudding.  Mix well.  Add sugar, 4 cups milk, vanilla, rum flavoring and nutmeg.  Mix for 3 minutes.  Add remaining 4 cups milk.  Mix another 3-5 minutes.  Best if made a day ahead!

  

Blueberry Orange and Almond Pancakes with Orange Maple Glaze

 Hello there and welcome to pancake week.  Let's start off with a twist on a classic: who doesn't love blueberry pancakes (besides my 6-year-old)?  Orange zest, orange juice, orange-maple glaze, and a smidge of almond take these just a teensy bit over the top.  All in a good way.

 Blueberry Orange and Almond Pancakes (print recipe)
Makes 12 to 16 small pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 T granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
Scant 1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
3 to 4 T butter, for griddle

1.  Place rack in the upper third of oven and preheat oven to 200 degrees.  The oven will keep the pancakes warm as you cook them in batches.

2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a small bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, orange juice, zest, and almond extract.  Whisk the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.  Fold in the blueberries.  Let batter rest for 5 minutes while the griddle heats.

3.  Over medium heat, melt 1 T of the butter in a cast-iron skillet or griddle.  Spoon 2 T batter into the hot pan and cool until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.  Place pancakes on ovenproof plate and store in the oven to keep warm while you cook the rest of the batter, adding butter to the pan as needed.

Orange Maple Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 T fresh orange juice
1 T pure maple syrup

Whisk together powdered sugar, orange juice, and maple syrup.  Serve alongside warm pancakes. 

Recipe from Joy the Baker by Joy Wilson

Pancake Week is Baaaaaack!

Ladies and gentlemen, (OK, honestly, pretty much mostly just ladies), for the first time in almost two years, the VGP's Pancake Week is BACK!

Tuesday is National Pancake Day.  IHOP is giving stacks away for free.  The whole world is indulging on Mardi Gras.  And so are we!

Every day this week you will find another *new* pancake recipe, never before posted on this blog, and some of them will blow your mind!  See you tomorrow (and all week) for some breakfast stacks to make you smile!

Gâteau de Crêpes

 This true labor of love was the YUMMY winner at our most recent Dessert Club.  Eighteen layers of thin, buttery crêpes and smooth vanilla pastry cream, with a crunchy brulee top...what, I ask, is there not to like? 

The competition was stiff.  The judges, discerning.  But the votes came in and the votes don't lie - Gâteau de Crêpes was the cake to beat all.

Gâteau de Crêpes
Serves 10 or more

For the crepe batter:
6 tablespoons butter
3 cups milk
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
7 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt

For the vanilla pastry cream:
2 cups milk
1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons butter

For assembly:
Corn oil
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar or more
Confectioners’ sugar

1. The day before, make the crepe batter and the pastry cream. Batter: In a small pan, cook the butter until brown like hazelnuts. Set aside. In another small pan, heat the milk until steaming; allow to cool for 10 minutes. In a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the hot milk and browned butter. Pour into a container with a spout, cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Pastry cream: Bring the milk with the vanilla bean (and scrapings) to a boil, then set aside for 10 minutes; remove bean. Fill a large bowl with ice and set aside a small bowl that can hold the finished pastry cream and be placed in this ice bath.

3. In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then place pan over high heat and bring to a boil, whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Press the pastry cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the small bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath and stir until the temperature reaches 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover and refrigerate.

4. Assemble the cake the next day: Bring the batter to room temperature. Place a nonstick or seasoned 9-inch crepe pan over medium heat. Swab the surface with the oil, then add about 3 tablespoons batter and swirl to cover the surface. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown, about 1 minute, then carefully lift an edge and flip the crepe with your fingers. Cook on the other side for no longer than 5 seconds. Flip the crepe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until you have 20 perfect crepes.

5. Pass the pastry cream through a sieve once more. Whip the heavy cream with the tablespoon sugar. Fold it into the pastry cream.

6. Lay 1 crepe on a cake plate. Using an icing spatula, completely cover with a thin layer of pastry cream (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup). Cover with a crepe and repeat to make a stack of 20, with the best-looking crepe on top. Chill for at least 2 hours. Set out for 30 minutes before serving. If you have a blowtorch for creme brulee, sprinkle the top crepe with 2 tablespoons sugar and caramelize with the torch; otherwise, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Slice like a cake. 

Recipe from New York Times, 5/15/05 who adapted the batter from ”Joy of Cooking” and the pastry cream from ”Desserts,” by Pierre Herme and Dorie Greenspan, all via Smitten Kitchen and Dessert Club member A. M. 

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Happy Pancake Day!  As you know Mardi Gras = National Pancake Day.  And the entire week before lent = Pancake Week.  Which is usually celebrated here with a pancake-a-day.  Reality is, I have the recipes to try, and I made some of them, but I just couldn't pull it off in time this year.  Sorry for the downer.

But the good news is, I have one for today, and it's so awesome.  One of those many recipes that make me smack my forehead wondering why I never thought of it before.  If you're only going to make one pancake today, or this week, this is an awfully good one to go with!

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (print recipe)
(Makes 8 to 10 pancakes)

Pancakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 T canola oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Cinnamon Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 T ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 T butter
2 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Prepare pancake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk in the buttermilk, oil, and eggs, just until batter is moistened (a few small lumps are fine.)

2.  For the filling, in a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Pour filling into a pastry bag with a small tip or a squeeze bottle with a small tip.  Set aside.  This should be about the consistency of toothpaste.

3.  For the glaze, in a medium, microwave-safe bowl, heat butter and cream cheese until melted.  Whisk together until smooth; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla; set aside. 

4.  Heat griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat.  Spray with nonstick cooking spray if necessary.  Scoop about 3/4 cup batter onto the skillet.  When pancake has started to cook a little, swirl on the cinnamon filling. 

 When bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside.  Transfer to a baking sheet to keep warm in the oven.  When ready to serve, spoon warmed glaze onto the top of each pancake. 

*Save extra filling for next time.

Recipe adapted from The Baker Chick

Pancake Week #7 Hazelnut Pancakes with Raspberry Coulis

Well here is Pancake Week's final, and possibly best, recipe. There are pulverized hazelnuts, lots of them. Nutmeg, one of my favorites. And I think the special secret is the browned butter, adding that rich toasty taste you can't get any other way.

As for the Raspberry Coulis (coulis just means a thick pureed sauce), I could just eat it with a spoon. I added extra sugar but just make it to your taste. It is cool and tart in contrast to the warm sweet pancakes, and together they are divine. I love the suggestion at the end to serve with chocolate and creme fraiche as well - because these pancakes, and anyone who makes them, deserve the very best. Happy Pancake Week!

Hazelnut Pancakes (print recipe)
4 T unsalted butter
1/2 cup hazelnuts, skinned*
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Dash of salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Continue cooking, keeping a watchful eye on the pan, until the butter turns a deep, dark, nutty brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. The butter should become very brown and there will be some solid bits in the pan - that's OK - but you must not let it burn. Set the pan aside.

2. Put the hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process to pulverize the nuts. Don't worry if small bits of nuts remain - it's better to have a few crunchy pieces of nut than to turn the mass into hazelnut butter, which is what you'll get if you process the mixture too long. Transfer the nuts and sugar to a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt, and whisk to combine.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, extracts and brown butter, scraping the dark bits from the bottom of the pan into the bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix with the whisk, stopping when everything is just combined. Don't worry if batter is a bit lumpy.

4. If necessary, lightly butter or spray your griddle or skillet. Preheat over medium heat or 350. If you want to hold the pancakes until serving time, preheat oven to 200.

5. Spoon 2 T batter onto griddle for each pancake, allowing ample space for spreading. When the undersides are very brown and the tops are lightly speckled with bubbles that pop and stay open, flip the pancakes over with a wide spatula and cook until the other sides are light brown. Serve immediately, or keep the finished pancakes in the preheated oven while you make the rest of the batch. Makes about 15 pancakes.

*Skinning hazelnuts: Toast them in a skillet over medium-low or on a baking sheet in a 350 oven for a few minutes, until fragrant and the skins start to crack. You will both see and hear them crackling. Then pour them onto half of a clean textured dishtowel (terry cloth or waffle weave are good.) Fold the other half of the towel over the nuts and rub them - the cracked skins will flake/rub off pretty easily.

Raspberry Coulis
1/2 pint (about 1 1/4 cups) fresh or unthawed frozen unsweetened raspberries
2 T sugar, or more to taste
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
2 tsp orange juice or orange liqueur

Puree the berries with the sugar and lemon juice in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade. Taste and add more sugar and/or lemon juice if needed. Add the orange juice. Pour into a covered container and chill until ready to serve. Can be made up to 1 day in advance.

To Serve:
Serve Hazelnut Pancakes hot off the griddle simply with a drizzle of Raspberry Coulis
- OR -
Spread each pancake with a little melted bittersweet chocolate and a spoonful of lightly sweetened Creme Fraiche. Add a drizzle of Raspberry Coulis and a shower of finely chopped toasted hazelnuts.

Recipe from Pancakes: from Morning to Midnight by Dorie Greenspan

Pancake Week #6 Yeast-Raised Pancakes

These pancakes are just plain cool! "Yeast-raised" may make you think of something like bread dough; yes, it's yeasty, but it stays thin like pancake batter. And super yummy-fermenty. As I cooked these up on the griddle, the scent wafted upstairs and Hazel came down, saying, "Mmm, Mommy, I smell bread!" Yes. And no.

They look and feel like pancakes. They smell like bread. And they taste like both. You've never had anything like them. If you've got time, they are definitely worth trying. What a delicious and truly unique twist on a classic!

Yeast-Raised Pancakes
1 1/2 cups milk
2 T sugar
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 T unsalted butter, melted
3 large egg yolks

1. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until lukewarm. Transfer milk to a large bowl and stir in sugar and yeast. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes.

2. Whisk in flour, salt, butter and egg yolks until batter is smooth. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer bowl to a warm place; let dough rise until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours).

3. Heat griddle to 375 degrees and oven to 175 degrees. Using a 2-ounce (1/4-cup) ladle, pour batter onto griddle, creating several pools, 2 inches apart. Cook pancakes until bubbles form on the top and the edges are slightly dry, about 3 minutes. Using a spatula, flip pancakes; cook until golden on bottom, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof plate; keep in warm oven. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm with butter and syrup or jam. Makes 2 dozen.

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living, February 1998

Pancake Week #5 Crunchy Cinnamon Ebelskivers

As some of you may know, ebelskivers (pronounced ABLE-SKEEVERS) are tasty little sphere-shaped pancakes traditional to Denmark. They can be sweet or savory, solid or filled with something yummy. And since I just happened to get my very own special seven-welled ebelskiver pan for my birthday, I am making this one exception to traditional flat griddle cakes for pancake week.
There aren't a lot of ebelskiver cookbooks out there; in fact, there's only one widely available - it's by Kevin Crafts and it's really all one could ever need, with over 40 recipes from honey-glazed buttermilk ebelskivers to smoked salmon & dill ebelskivers to molten chocolate ebelskivers and everything in between (like fig & prosciutto.)

These were the first ones I made in my new pan. The "crunchy" comes from cooking a bit of brown sugar and butter in the wells before adding the cinnamon batter; it hardens up just enough to be crunchy but not burnt. They were sweet & spicy three-bite delights, just perfect for the spontaneous Saturday morning tea party I made them for.
Crunchy Cinnamon Ebelskivers (print recipe)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs, separated
1 cup whole milk
3 T unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, divided
3 1/2 T light brown sugar

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk and 2 T melted butter. Add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture and, using a wooden spoon, stir until well blended. The batter will be lumpy.

2. In a clean bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Using a silicone spatula, fold about one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest just until no white streaks remain.

3. Brush the wells of the ebelskiver pan with some of the remaining 1 T melted butter and place over medium heat. Working quickly, put 1/2 tsp of the brown sugar in each well and cook until the sugar melts and turns dark and syrupy, 3-5 minutes. Add about 3 T batter to each well.

4. Cook until the bottoms of the pancakes are lightly browned and crisp, 3-5 minutes. Use 2 short wooden skewers to turn all the pancakes and cook until lightly browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer.

5. Transfer the finished pancakes to a platter, let cool for 5 minutes, and serve slightly warm. Repeat to make 2 more batches, cooling each batch for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 21 pancakes, 4 to 7 servings
Recipe from Ebelskivers: Danish-style filled pancakes and other sweet and savory treats by Kevin Crafts

Pancake Week #4 Bacon Pancakes (Oh, Yes)

Wow. I should have thought of this in college; I definitely could have used it in grad school. Sometimes it takes a subscription to Everyday Food to have the obvious pointed out to me. Bacon and pancakes and syrup - it doesn't get more classic and comforting than that and here they are all together. Genius, right? Thank you, Martha. Thank you.

Now's also a good time to mention my new griddle. For years I've been cooking my pancakes 3 at a time in a stove-top skillet. Which is quaint if you have all the time in the world and only need to make 6 pancakes. It was time to upgrade, and preparing for Pancake Week was the perfect excuse. So in December I got myself a little early Christmas present - the biggest griddle I could find with excellent reviews and a reasonable price tag: the Presto Tilt n' Drain Cool Touch Big Griddle. It's on my Well-Stocked Kitchen List. I love it and obviously have used it a ton - and not just for pancakes but also bacon (both for this recipe!), eggs, and sandwiches. I love the enormous nonstick surface and reliably even heat. And no, they're not paying me to say it. I wish.

Bacon Pancakes (print recipe)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 T sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 T unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
8 slices bacon
Maple syrup, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 200. In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, and egg. Whisk flour mixture into buttermilk mixture just until moistened, with small to medium lumps remaining.

2. In a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet or on a griddle, cook 8 slices bacon over medium-high until fat is rendered and bacon is browned on one side, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook until golden and crisp on underside, 1 to 3 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels; pour off all but 1 tsp fat from skillet.
3. Heat skillet over medium. Pour 1/4-cupfuls batter into skillet and top each with a bacon slice. Cook until some bubbles appear on top of pancakes and a few have burst, about 2 minutes. With a spatula, carefully flip pancakes and cook until browned on underside, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter, bacon side up, and loosely tent with foil. Keep pancakes warm in oven and repeat with remaining batter, addint more bacon fat if needed. Serve with pure maple syrup. Makes 8 pancakesRecipe from Everyday Food, a few months ago

Pancake Week #3 Carrot Cake Pancakes with Honey Butter

Are you kidding me??? Why has it taken me three years to get these sweeties made and posted? There is no excuse; it is ridiculous and I apologize. In addition, why couldn't Snooze, the Denver-based eatery from whence these are inspired, have been around when I lived there? The pancake world is full of injustices.

These comforting cakey flapjacks feature warm spices and bright carrot color and flavor. My family gobbled them up and asked for more. And after yesterday's indulgence, these are even kinda sorta healthy. I mean, there are vegetables! And no ice cream! So, you know, they're healthy!

And before I end the commentary, please take a quick look at Snooze's other offerings. Seriously? I'll have a "Sandwich I Am", Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes (gotta get that recipe!), and a Vanilla Almond Oatmeal Brulee. For starters.

Carrot Cake Pancakes with Honey Butter (print recipe)
5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of ground ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups finely grated carrot (about 1 pound)
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through ginger) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and next 4 ingredients (through eggs); add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in 2 cups carrot.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon 4 (1/4 cup) batter mounds onto pan, spreading with a spatula. Cook for 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 1 minute or until bottoms are lightly browned. Repeat procedure twice with remaining batter. Combine butter and honey in a small bowl; serve with pancakes.

Recipe from Cooking Light, January 2010

Pancake Week #2 Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Dark Chocolate Sauce

I'm sorry, did you want something plain to eat? Because you AIN'T gonna find it here, at least not this week!

There are a few combinations I go to over and over because I just can't get enough (love that song), and peanut-butter-and-chocolate is one of them. Here you have a delectably delicate tender-cake-like peanut butter pancake freckled and speckled with melty mini chocolate chips. I admit, I did not plan ahead enough to make the cinnamon ice cream (this time of year my freezer bowl is tucked away deep in the back of a cupboard), but we had vanilla and it was awesome and I can only imagine how amazing cinnamon would be. I know these seem kind of desserty, but remember they are pancakes, and pancakes can be for breakfast, lunch or dinner. More pancakes for dessert is optional.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Pancakes (print recipe)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
4 T unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (we used mini)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat the peanut butter and eggs with an electric mixer until softened and well combined. Gradually add the milk and melted butter, beating until well blended. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the dry ingredients, then gently fold in the chocolate chips.

2. If necessary, lightly oil your griddle. Preheat over medium heat (350F). If you will be holding pancakes to warm, preheat oven to 200F.

3. Spoon 1/3 cup of batter onto griddle for each pancake, allowing space for spreading and use a spatula or back of spoon to lightly press batter into rounds. When the undersides of pancakes are golden and the tops are speckled with bubbles that pop, flip the pancakes over with a wide spatula and cook until the other sides are light brown. Serve immediately or keep warm on an oven-proof plate in the warm oven. Serve with cinnamon or vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Makes about 16 pancakes.

Cinnamon Ice Cream
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 T cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. While the mixture is heating, use a whisk or an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks, sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl until very thick.

2. Beating constantly, gradually add the hot milk and cream to the yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens, 2 to 5 minutes. The custard should coat the back of the spoon and leave a track when you run your finger through. Strain into a clean bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract and cool to room temperature.

3. Freeze the custard in the ice cream maker following manufacturer's instructions. Pack into a freezer container and freeze to firm and ripen. The ice cream should be ready to scoop in about 2 hours, but ti will keep in the freezer for 2 weeks. Makes 1 quart

Dark Chocolate Sauce
3 oz. best-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, optional
Pinch of salt
1 T unsalted butter, room temperature

1. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl or large measuring cup; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, mix the cream, milk, sugar, espresso powder, and salt together and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk into the chocolate until absolutely smooth. Whisk in the butter. Serve or cover and chill until needed. The sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks; warm before using.

Recipes from Pancakes: From Morning to Midnight by Dorie Greenspan

Pancake Week #1 Ricotta Pancakes with Roasted Golden Delicious Apples and Roasted Prosciutto

Let's start off the week with something impressive, shall we? I don't want you to think I've been dinking around, not taking Pancake Week seriously. You have no idea the time I put into it, seeking out the most interesting and delicious-sounding flapjacks I can find.

These fit that description to a T. You know Tyler Florence, right? (Love his line of Sprout baby food.) Well this is his recipe, so between him and me, you know we won't steer you wrong.

Though I admit, this is one of the most involved recipes this week. But it's an entire meal - it's got starch, fruit, and meat! So cook it up and serve it for dinner and love every bite.

Ricotta Pancakes with Roasted Golden Delicious Apples and Roasted Prosciutto (print recipe)
For the Topping:
12 slices prosciutto
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, optional
4 Golden Delicious apples
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup

For the Pancakes:
2 cups ricotta
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
Butter, for cooking
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting, optional
1 cup maple syrup, warmed on stove-top

1. For the topping: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On 1 tray lay the slices of prosciutto out in a single flat layer. Season with some salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired, and pop into the oven. Roast the prosciutto until crispy, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Cut each apple into thirds, remove the cheeks and discard the core. Slice each piece into 4 and toss with butter and maple syrup in a large bowl. Transfer to a roasting pan and place in the oven. Roast the apples until they are fork-tender and slightly caramelized on the top, about 30 to 45 minutes depending on ripeness of the fruit.

3. For the pancakes: Combine the ricotta, egg yolks, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Sift the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into the ricotta mixture and stir until fully combined. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form and then gently fold into the batter.

4. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and add a little butter. Cook 2 to 3 pancakes at a time using a 6-ounce ladle or measuring cup to pour the batter into the pan. The trick to perfect round pancakes to carefully pour all the batter in the same spot and let it roll out to a complete circle. Cook the pancakes on 1 side until they set. When small bubbles appear on the uncooked surface, flip the pancakes and cook until golden on both sides, about 6 minutes. Keep the pancakes on a plate set at the back of the stove under a dry towel to keep warm while you make the rest.

5. To serve, lay the pancakes on a plate and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve with roasted apples, crispy prosciutto strips and warm maple syrup. Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Tyler Florence, FoodNetwork.com

Peach-Blueberry Popover Pancake

I love popovers. They're little crusty/eggy/puffy rolls that are empty in the middle and delicious with butter and any kind of jam. So good. So a popover pancake - just a big giant popover - covered with syrupy peaches and blueberries sounded OK to me.

First of all, it was ridiculously easy. Easier even than regular pancakes because it's just one and cooks by itself in the oven. Second, seasonally friendly because it calls for frozen peaches and frozen blueberries. Of course if it's summer, you can by all means use fresh and it would be even better. But frozen fruit is good and worked well in for me in this recipe.

We had this for dinner so we had some fried ham on the side. Bacon and eggs would be good too. My only complaint was it wasn't quite sweet enough for me, so we drizzled a little maple syrup on to get it right. Blueberry or other flavored syrup would be good, too.

Peach-Blueberry Popover Pancake

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

3 T orange marmalade

3 T butter or margarine

1 T lemon juice

1 (16 oz) package frozen sliced peaches, thawed and drained

1 cup fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries, thawed and drained

Drizzle of maple syrup, optional

1. Place a well-greased 12-inch cast-iron skillet in a 425F oven for 5 minutes.

2. Combine first 5 ingredients (eggs through 1/3 cup butter), stirring with a wire wisk until blended.

3. Remove skillet from oven. Pour batter into hot skillet.

4. Bake at 425 for 20 to 25 minutes. (This resembles a giant popover and will fall quickly after removing from oven.)

5. Combine marmalade, 3 T butter and lemon juice in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add peaches, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon on top of baked pancake. Sprinkle with blueberries. Drizzle with maple syrup if desired.

Recipe from Southern Living, Jan 1996

Silver Dollar Pear Pancakes

Last year for Pancake Week my very favorite recipe was Double Coconut Pancakes with Vanilla Pear Sauce. I think pears naturally pair with pancakes beautifully. And these little loves are no exception. The coring/peeling was a bit of work (I used my twirly-whirly apple corer but the pears were a bit too soft and got lots of juice all over the place, but yummy juice) but it all paid off when we sat down to gobble them up. Delicious!

Silver Dollar Pear Pancakes
Pears:
4 Bosc or Bartlett pears
3 T pure maple syrup, plus more for drizzling
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon (I used pumpkin pie spice for fun)
1/2 tsp unsalted butter

Pancakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 T sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups buttermilk
4 T unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 tsp for griddle

1. Core pears with an apple corer. Starting at the bottom, slice pears crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rings, and toss in a small bowl with maple syrup and cinnamon.

2. To make pancake batter, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 T melted butter; whisk to combine. Batter whouls have small to medium lumps.

3. Heat an electric griddle to 375 degrees or a heavy skillet until very hot. Brush with butter. Place a few pear slices on griddle, 2 1/2 inches apart. Let cook 1 minute. Ladle about 1/4 cup batter into the center of each pear ring. Using the bottom of the ladle, gently push batter over edges of pears. Let cook until pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, about 2 1/2 minutes.

4. Using spatula, turn pancakes over; cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining pears and batter. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and extra syrup.Recipe from Martha Stewart Living, February 1998