Chocolate chip pumpkin pancakes
I love the word 'fall'. There's something so wistful about the way it sounds, compared to our British and somewhat standoffish 'autumn'. Regardless of the name, as an autumn baby, it's my favourite season. More than the pink blossoms of spring or the bright green of summer, I love the deep reds and yellows of autumn. Who cares if the weather is always wet or the sky is forever grey; there is always colour to be found.
Autumn is almost over now but I couldn't let it pass without, as promised, something pumpkin-based. This is a completely American tradition, by the way, only in the last few years have I been able to find canned pumpkin in regular London supermarkets. But what the hell, I like anything that pairs well with cinnamon. These pumpkin pancakes are warmed with spices, dotted with melty chocolate chips and lightly drizzled with golden syrup.A couple of these with a really good cup of coffee is the most delicious way to banish those Monday blues.
The first time I made these pancakes, I went crazy on the pumpkin puree and they were just too wet to work. This time I used just a third of a cup and it was the perfect amount. These are really light and fluffy pancakes which, though definitely more a treat than healthy breakfast fare, I've made allergy-friendly/vegan with a few tweaks (see recipe below). I love the contrast of the dark chocolate chips here, especially as they melt into glorious little puddles - but if you are one of those people that can't handle chocolate too early in the morning, leave it out. A baked pear, a grilled peach or some chunks of stewed apple on top are all delicious alternatives or, if you want pure indulgence, a trickle of Cinnabon-style cream cheese frosting (beat together a little cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla essence and milk to a drippy consistency) would be naughty but oh so nice. Do what you will - as long as you eat these hot from the pan, you really can't go wrong.
Chocolate chip pumpkin pancakes
Serves 2-3.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup plain or spelt flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 egg or 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 tablespoon melted butter or oil
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips*
- golden syrup, to drizzle
METHOD
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and spices.
In another bowl, lightly beat the egg before adding the milk. Or, if using chia seeds in place of the egg, mix the chia seeds and milk and let sit for about 5 minutes. Then add the pumpkin, vanilla and butter/oil.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined and then stir in the chocolate chips. Don't overmix and let the batter rest for at least 5-10 minutes - this is the secret to soft pancakes.
Heat a good nonstick pan over medium-low heat and grease with just the lightest dash of oil or butter. When hot, pour about two tablespoons of batter per pancake onto the pan. Cook for 2 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface of the pancake. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat until you've used up all the batter.
Serve pancakes with a light drizzle of golden syrup. Enjoy!
Notes: I use Callebaut's 54.5% dark chocolate chips - they're not too dark, they're the best for baking and they just happen to be dairy-free woohoo. This, along with discovering that the Lindt Excellence range is also coincidentally dairy-free, has made my life so much better.
