Rainy Mornings and Pancakes

I can hardly believe it has happened...

The constant cloudy days and drizzly sky have finally caused the temperature to plummet. The air is damp and cool, even by First Day of Autumn standards and my green smoothie run has come to an abrupt halt for want of a warmer breakfast.

What better way to celebrate our new season than with glorious, golden buckwheat pancakes. You may recall that I have shared a similar buckwheat pancake recipe in the past. Those pancakes were covered in sweet, ripe bananas, golden honey and flaked almonds. The recipe for those beauties can be found here.

I've since created a new recipe and these pancakes my dear, dear friends will. Blow. Your. Minds.

Buckwheat Pancakes with Cinnamon Apples
Gluten Free
Serves 4-5

For the Pancakes

3/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup gluten free self-raising flour
1/4 cup gluten free plain flour
1 tsp gluten free baking powder
2 free range eggs
1 cup whole milk (soy or rice milk can be substituted)
olive oil

For the Cinnamon Apples

3-4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 Tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 to 1 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 Tbs maple syrup

Fresh blueberries and additional maple syrup to serve.

To make the pancakes, sift the flours and baking powder into a large bowl, make a well in the centre, add the eggs and mix. Pour in the milk in a slow stream and whisk the mixture until you have a uniform batter.

Heat a heavy based pan over medium heat. Pour in a generous amount of olive oil (glug, glug, glug!)and when the oil starts to move (it looks magical as it heats), ladle or pour roughly 1/2 cup of the batter into the pan. I love to make small, round, odd shaped pancakes that are oval in appearance; in a large pan you can easily fit three or more pancakes. Allow the pancakes to cook until small bubbles form on their creamy surfaces. As the bubbles begin to burst, flip the pancakes and continue cooking for another minute or less.

When making a large quantity of small pancakes, it's helpful to keep your growing mound in a warm oven as you finish cooking the batter. When they're ready to be served, rearrange the golden discs into an impressive stack to stand as a proud tower on your table.

To make the cinnamon apples, peel, core and slice the apples. Drop the butter into a hot pan and as it bubbles and hisses, add the apple slices and cinnamon. Lower the heat and cook the apples until the butter absorbs into the fruit, stirring occasionally. Pour in the water to soften the apples, add a splash of maple syrup to sweeten and reduce until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Serve hot over the golden buckwheat pancakes.

Sprinkle with fresh, sweet blueberries and highlight with a stream of honey-coloured maple syrup.

For me, there is nothing more comforting on a cold, dreary morning than biting into soft, warm pancakes, topped with sweet cinnamon apples and fresh violet pearls, bursting with blueberry sweetness.

How do you serve your pancakes?

Bella xx

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Banana Buckwheat Pancakes with Honey

Today has been a Jack Johnson song... Banana Pancakes

But baby, you hardly even notice
When I try to show you
This song it's meant to keep you
From doin' what you're supposed to
Wakin' up too early
Maybe we could sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now

And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just rainin'
There ain't no need to go outside

Except that it IS the weekend. It's a lazy Sunday, a warm day, cloudy with late thunderstorms and rain predicted for this afternoon. Every now and then a cool breeze picks up and makes loose wisps of my hair tickle the nape of my neck.

I awoke early after a deep and restful slumber to a very hazy morning, long sun rays shone in through my window. The light was so soft that I didn't feel the need to squint when I first opened my eyes and as expected, one of my first thoughts was about breakfast and what I could make to enjoy on a Sunday morning. As soon as I suggested buckwheat pancakes with bananas to Byron he started bouncing. Literally. In bed... Much to Maxi's disgust.

Banana Buckwheat Pancakes with Honey
Gluten Free

3/4 cup stone milled buckwheat flour
1/3 cup rice four
1/4 cup cornflour (maize starch)
2 Tbs tapioca flour
2 tsp gluten free baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 large eggs
extra virgin olive oil
3 small sweet ripe bananas, finely sliced
1/4 cup almond flakes
A jar of your favourite honey on standby

Into a large bowl, sift the flours, baking powder and ground cinnamon together, mix with a spoon and make a well in the centre. Pour in half of the water and milk. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl one at a time and then add them to your flour mixture. Using a whisk, slowly start to incorporate the ingredients, as the mixture starts to resemble a smooth, thick batter add the rest of the water and milk. If your batter is too runny, you can add more buckwheat flour, if you prefer the mixture to be less viscous, slowly pour in more milk, one tablespoon at a time. The consistency should be somewhere between thick pouring cream and yoghurt.

Peel and thinly slice a small banana and keep this handy by the stove.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat, pour in a generous amount of olive oil (And when I say generous, I mean generous. No half-hearted dripping, do not spray the pan using 1 mL of olive oil. Not pastry brushes because they won't work on the non-stick surface anyway. I want you to listen to me because I know what I'm talking about. These pancakes DESERVE a generous POUR of olive oil). Heat the oil, then pour or ladle a small amount of the batter into the oil, just enough to make a small pancake, approximately 15 cm in diameter. It should begin to bubble a little around the edges of your small pancake, like a halo.

Quickly drop a few slices of banana into the pancake, then continue cooking until small bubbles appear throughout the pancake, a few will burst.

Now flip the pancake carefully and cook for another 30 seconds to one minute, taking care not to burn the banana. If your pancakes are cooking too quickly, turn the heat back to low.

Once you have made the first one, you can start to pour more batter into the pan. I tend to make no more than four small pancakes at a time because it gives me enough time to arrange the banana slices.

If you want to, you can add a sprinkle of flaked almonds to the cooking pancake instead of banana slices. Other alternatives include finely sliced apple or plain buckwheat pancakes that you can dress up later with your favourite topping.

Once you have an impressive mound of banana buckwheat pancakes, place a small pile on a large plate, top with a dollop of creamy natural yoghurt, fresh banana slices, a drizzle of favourite honey and a sprinkle of almond flakes (you can toast these if you prefer).

By the time our pancakes were ready, the day had cooled. I pulled on a cardigan and wandered out to our balcony, which has a gorgeous view of the Sydney skyline. When I stepped outside I saw that Byron had arranged some cushions on the ground and my old red throw rug.

We listened to French cafe style music (Putamayo Presents French Café playlist), laughed, chatted and chewed away our morning as the gorgeous gentle breeze returned every now and again.

Pure breakfast bliss.

Bella xx

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