Gluten Free Strawberry Pancakes... LOVERS

We're not much into the whole lovey-dovey Valentine's Day celebration, but if we were… These pancakes would hiss, spit and sizzle their way from a hot pan to our plates in no time.

Pancakes are fast becoming a favourite breakfast around our house. Byron can whip them up in a heart beat and I have been playing around with gluten free recipe variations for years. This recipe will produce lovely light, fluffy pancakes with soft, sweet red strawberries gently cooked into the top of each one.

When we cook breakfast, we love to listen to Play that Funky Music by Wild Cherry for some serious groovin' whilst we sift, whisk, pour and sizzle.

If you're familiar with the beat, you might be able to imagine two cheerful people in their pyjamas swinging their hips around the kitchen whilst a tiny chocolate coloured dog bounces between them, yapping happily.

Just remember to put the whisk down between dance solos… Otherwise things can get preeeeetttty messy, much to Coco's delight...

Gluten Free Strawberry Pancakes

Serves 4

1 1/4 cup gluten-free self raising flour
2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp (pinch) salt
250ml (1 cup) organic milk
2 free range eggs
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Melted butter, to grease
250g punnet of organic fresh strawberries

Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir to mix thoroughly and form a well in the centre.

In a separate bowl, add milk, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk gently to combine, then slowly pour into the well of the dry ingredients, whisking to create a smooth batter. Add an extra splash of milk if too thick.

Rinse and slice (5mm thick) strawberries, lengthways.

Heat a griddle or large pan over medium heat, melt a dollop of butter in the pan. Pour batter into pan in small batches, approximately 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Press several slices of fresh strawberries into each pancake. When bubbles begin to form and burst, flip pancakes and cook until slightly golden on both sides.

Serve immediately with your choice of topping: Maple syrup, strawberry yoghurt with fresh mint, cinnamon apples, fresh fruit and honey are some seriously funky sweet options.

These pancakes can be frozen or refrigerated for later if there is a surplus.

Lazy morning pancakes are the best so play that funky music and get your groove on!

Bella xx

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Baked Camembert with Honey

A few years ago I embarked on a road trip with some of my closest girlfriends deep into the gorgeous Australian countryside. We visited my dear friend, Kailee for her bridal shower weekend at her then future in-law's cottage, which had the most impressive cathedral ceilings I have ever laid my wide brown eyes upon. Following a wonderful dinner, and an evening filled with laughter and entertainment, we tumbled sleepily into bed where we slept soundly until the morning. When we woke, we showered, tidied up and stopped into a tiny local cafe, Cafe Telegraph for a late brunch before heading home.

Cafe Telegraph has been converted from an old telegraph office that dates back to the 1800s, and it has it's own cellar that you can select a wine from to enjoy with your meal. It was in the stone courtyard of this little cafe, nestled beside the trickling water in the nearby creek that I tried their baked camembert with honey. To summarise, it was nothing short of extraordinary!

Here I share with you the most simplified version of what I enjoyed with my girlfriends on that perfect morning to the enticing sounds of nature.

Baked Camembert with Honey

1 wheel of gorgeous Camembert cheese
1 Tbs honey

Optional ingredients:
1 sprig of rosemary
fresh thyme
nectarine or peach, sliced
Red Delicious apple, sliced
crusty hot bread, torn into chunks

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit). Score both side of the camembert with a sharp knife. Smear a teaspoon of the honey onto the base of your cheese, place it into a small, round ramekin, then spread the remaining honey onto the top of the cheese. Bake for ten to fifteen minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to turn golden on top.

Some prefer to score the cheese with one large cross on the top, stick rosemary or thyme sprigs into the cheese and bake for up to half an hour, however I like to slice a tiny grid pattern into both sides of the cheese (like a mango cheek) to ensure the honey can infuse the cheese from both sides in shorter baking time.

Serve with crusty chunks of hot bread or for a gluten free option, try slices of fresh fruit, such as slightly firm nectarine or peach slices.

Enjoy with friends before or after a meal with a bottle of your favourite wine.

There's something special about plunging a chunk of bread or slice of nectarine into this gooey, salty, sweet, creamy, fondue-like hot cheese.

If you are interested in other heart warming dishes, I have created gluten free recipes for...

dark chocolate hazelnut torte
buckwheat pancakes with cinnamon apples and fresh blueberries
chocolate chunk cookies with fleur de sel (which I baked an hour before I got married!)
mini vegetarian quiches
spiced poached pears in red wine with orange blossom cream
citrus cured salmon and orange salad with vanilla bean and baby spinach

To name a few...

Simply mouth-watering.

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See my recipes page here

Bella xx

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