Spiced pancakes with a warm fruity topping

Maple Cinnamon Pancakes w/ Apple Syrup

Serves 2-3
Makes 8-9; 2-oz pancakes

Fruit toppings for pancakes offer a nice alternative to the traditional dosing in syrup. The brightness and slight crisp of the apple blended with the fluffy pancake make this a combination you will turn to again and again.

Ingredients

Pancake Dry Mix

130g (1 c) All purpose flour

60g (.5 c) almond meal or all purpose flour

10g (1 T) glutinous rice flour, optional

7g (1.75 t) baking powder

4g (1 t) kosher salt

2g (.5 t) cinnamon

1g (.25 t) baking soda

Pancake Wet Mix

165ml (.75 c + 1 T) milk

128g (.5 c) plain yogurt or sour cream

45g (3 T) maple syrup

28g (2 T) butter, melted and cooled

4g (1 t) vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Apple Syrup

345g (.75 lb) apple (honey crisp, Cortland, mcintosh, pink lady), .25in diced skins left on

75g (5 T) light brown sugar

35g (2.5 T) unsalted butter

22g (1 T) honey

15g (1 T) rum or apple jack, optional

2g (.5 t) ground cinnamon

2g (.5 t) vanilla

1g (.25 t) kosher salt

1g (.25 t) ground ginger

Recipe Know-how

Pancakes

1.      In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pancake dry ingredients.

• In another medium mixing bowl, combine all pancake wet ingredients except butter.

2.      Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix 75% of the way, add butter. Mix thoroughly.

The key to getting tender pancakes is stirring and not “beating” the batter. Stir gently just until there are no dry spots of flour remaining.

3.      Allow to rest 30 minutes.

While batter is resting, make Apple Syrup

Apple Syrup

4.      In a medium saute pan on high, heat butter until foaming. Add apples, saute 1 minute.

• Add all remaining ingredients. Cook 2-3 minutes.

The syrup should be boiling and the apples should remain crisp.

5.      Keep warm while cooking pancakes.

Finishing

6.      Heat a large saute pan over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or an electric griddle to 180 C or 350 F.

Water dropped on the saute pan should skitter gently. If it boils violently, it is too hot and the heat should be reduced.

7.      Using a paper towel dipped into some vegetable oil, coat the pan lightly with oil.

8.      With a .25c measure or a 2-oz scoop, scoop dollops of the batter onto the pan leaving about 1 – 1.5 inches of space between pancakes. Cook 1.5-2.5 minutes. Flip and repeat.

Indicators for flipping – bubbles should begin to appear on the surface of the pancake. If bubbles have not appeared, check the bottom of the pancake, it should be golden brown.

Indicators for a fully cooked pancake – after flipping, the pancake when touched the pancake should spring back and feel spongy. If this hasn’t happened, let the pancake keep cooking another few seconds. And test until the right consistency is reached.

9.      Place cooked pancakes in a low oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.

10.  Serve topped with apple syrup