PANCAKES!

Blueberry or Banana Pancakes

One of my favorite shows on the FoodNetwork is Throwdown with Bobby Flay. In this particular episode Bobby Flay challenged the owners of Clinton Street Baking Company in NY to a blueberry pancake showdown. Although the couple won, they would not divulge their secret recipe. However, after watching the show I did pick up a few tips. Firstly, they ranted and raved about using buttermilk in the batter. Secondly, they separated the eggs to beat medium peaks** out of the egg whites and then folded them into the batter.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups buttermilk or vanilla soy milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch cream of tartar
1 cup fresh blueberries or 2 bananas, sliced
Butter

Preparation:
1. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, oil, buttermilk or soy milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Mix together until flour is just incorporated.
3. In a small bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter just until incorporated.
4. Heat a nonstick pan or cast iron griddle over medium heat. Brush with the butter and heat until the butter just begins to sizzle. With a ladle, scoop about ¼-1/2 cup of the batter into the pan or onto the griddle. Top with either the blueberries or banana slices. Cook until bubbles appear on the top surface and the bottom is golden brown, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Flip over and cook until the bottom is lightly golden brown, about 45 seconds.


** “Medium peaks” describes the consistency of beaten egg whites or cream. When the beaters are removed from the mixture, the points will stand up straight