Out-of-the-box breakfast thinking

Do you still buy boxed pancake packages from the grocery store to cook up pancakes on a weekend? Why do you buy a box of common and inexpensive ingredients you already have at home? Do you know what’s in the pancake mix box? Flour; baking powder; sugar and salt. That’s it. We leave out much of the salt in our recipe. This is an easy and enjoyable weekend breakfast recipe anyone can measure and mix! After you get the basics, experiment with your custom recipe, and give the humble pancake some real character.

The basic pancake ingredients

• Preparation time: 20 to 30 minutes;
• Serves 4. The recipe can be easily scaled up, and pancakes refrigerate well for a few days.

Ingredient	Quantity
All-purpose unbleached flour	250 mL (1 cup)
Whole wheat flour	60 mL (¼ cup)
Golden sugar	15 mL (1 tablespoon)
Baking powder	15 mL (1 tablespoon)
Salt or salt substitute	1 or 2 mL (¼ teaspoon maximum)
Egg	1 large
Milk (At room temperature)	335 mL (1⅓ cups)
Vegetable Oil	45 mL (3 tablespoons)
Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur	15 mL (1 tablespoon)
Mashed banana, or grated apple	1 fruit
Butter or margarine	To taste
Cinnamon	Small pinch
Maple syrup, honey, fruit preserves, sour cream, apple butter, or whatever you desire.	To taste

Preparation

1. Mix two types of flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl;
2. In a separate container (about 500 mL), slightly whisk the egg, then add milk, Bailey’s Irish Cream and vegetable oil. Mix together. Gently using an eggbeater is a good way to get the right blend and texture;
3. Add the mixed liquids to the solid ingredients, and stir. Add the mashed banana or grated apple. Stir until flour is just moist and thick;
4. Heat the skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Coat with butter or vegetable oil;
5. We suggest making multiple small pancakes rather than a few big ones. Cook until batter bubbles on top, the edges are dry, and the underside is golden brown. Flip the pancake with a spatula and cook underside. Pancakes should be flipped once only;
6. Keep warm in a deep dish, or on your oven’s warmer element, as you make 8 to 12 pancakes from this batter mix;
7. Serve with butter or margarines, and maple syrup. Make it interesting with fruit preserves, walnuts, jam, marmalade, sour cream, or use your imagination.

Pancake variations we’ve tried

For pancakes with an extra something special, try one of the following:

• Substitute buttermilk for the regular milk. Or use a 50:50 milk and buttermilk ratio. You ought to increase the baking powder by about 1 or 2 mL (about ¼ teaspoon) for the pancakes to be fluffy;
• Add (or grate) a pinch (¼ teaspoon) of nutmeg to the mixture, especially if using grated apple;
• Substitute the 15 to 25 mL of Bailey’s Irish Cream with your favourite liqueur.

Let us know how you like them. We’ll bet you never buy another box of flour, baking powder, salt and sugar from the grocery store again.