Filled Pancakes

I love breakfast foods, and pancakes are near the top of the list. Another love that resides near the top is the heavenly combo of cinnamon and sugar. Now, putting the flavor love of cin-sugar with the fabulous pancake…and I go weak in the knees. This is no ordinary form of combination, and yes..this recipe calls for a special pan. I rarely recommend the purchase of a singular use item, but to experience filled pancakes – that’s right..filled pancakes – it is completely worth it! This recipe makes about 18-20 filled pancakes, so feel free to double is your cooking for more than 2 or 3 people (I say two people, because I killed off almost all of them myself in one sitting – so 2 hungry vegans, or 3 people with the willpower not to overstuff themselves, or if you have sides you’re serving with them).

Ingredients:

2 TBSP ground flaxseed in 4 TBSP warm water
1 C hemp/almond milk with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 C AP flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 TBSP Earth Balance vegan butter, melted; plus more for greasing the pan – or use canola for greasing
For the filling: (you can use anything like jams, peanut butter, chocolate ganache, fruit compote, etc..or you can go with a classic streusal-type like this one here – the topping from the Cranberry Orange Crumb filled muffins)

Directions:

1. Combine the ground flaxseed with warm water, set aside. Mix together the milk with the ACV, set aside.  In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add in the melted butter, ground flaxseed mixture, and milk mixture.
2. Let batter sit while filled pancake pan heats up over medium heat and you prep the filling. Grease each well with some butter (or brush with canola oil).
3. Pour 1 TBSP into a well, drop a tsp of filling in the center of the batter (and you can push gently with your finger to nussle it in), and top with about another TBSP of batter. Repeat for each well. I found it more successful to drop the filling and top with batter right after putting in the first TBSP batter. If you put a TBSP into each well, then drop and top, the seal doesn’t form between the two batters as neatly as if you do it immediately – resulting in filling spillage. So one well at a time is what I recommend.

4. Let the batter cook about 3-5 minutes, then flip with two skewers or chopsticks, and allow to cook an additional 3 minutes. Obviously this is a skill that takes practice, but I found the quicker you flip, the less mess. And with the tips in step 3, this makes for easier/cleaner flipping as well. A good indication of when it’s a safe time to flip, the edges of the batter will start to set/firm up – the centers will still be gooey, hence the need to flip quickly otherwise it just runs off the side into the well exposing the filling..not good. I didn’t take photos of me in the flipping process, because frankly I only have two hands and I needed both to flip. And unless my feet become even more dexterous than they already are and learn to use a camera… I mean, I do yoga, but there are some things that are impossible to achieve. But for a good reference, go here to the Williams-Sonoma site.

5. Dust with powdered sugar, top with agave, fruit syrups, maple syrups…whatever tickles your breakfast fancy. Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!