Showing posts with label Breakfast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breakfast. Show all posts
When my children were growing up, one thing which I used to make frequently for them for breakfast on Saturday's was pancakes. They loved them.
When I was a child we only ever got pancakes once a year. On Shrove Tuesday. And always for supper, never breakfast.
We never got pancakes at any other time. I guess my children were spoiled a bit in comparison because I used to make them pancakes often, and always always when they had a guest come to stay overnight. It was a bit of a sleepover breakfast tradition.
I do confess that I also indulged in the pancake breakfasts. I love pancakes after all. I still crave them from time to time, but I don't always want to be making a full recipe of them just for me. I know I could freeze the extras, but I only have so much room in the freezer.
I discovered this recipe for Fluffy Pancakes for One over on a blog called One Dish Kitchen. I decided to give it a go and adapted it for use on this page. I added Metric measurements for the UK, and left out the vanilla.
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
Call me pedantic, but I didn't think that vanilla belonged in plain pancakes. If you are going to add something to them like chocolate chips or fruit, maybe. But plain pancakes, vanilla is a no no for me.
I think vanilla is one of those flavorings that is highly overused. When you make a basic Victoria Sandwich Cake no flavoring is used at all. All you taste is butter, sugar and eggs. I can promise you it is quite delightfully delicious.
There are some variations that will add vanilla, but the basic version does not.
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
I never saw myself as being a purist at heart, but I guess I can be one when it comes to certain things and one of those things just happens to be the flagrant use of vanilla!
Don't get me wrong I love vanilla. Just not in simple easy fluffy plain pancakes. They get enough flavor from the butter and then the syrup you pour over top when you go to eat them. Nothing else is needed. And as you can probably tell I love my butter and my syrup. 😋
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY PANCAKES FOR ONE (FROM SCRATCH)
What I love about this recipe is that it uses all natural, pure ingredients. Nothing artificial here and you don't have to rely on having a mix. These are pure and simple.
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 TBS granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 large free range egg
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1 TBS butter, melted
- more butter to grease the skillet
- butter and maple syrup to serve
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
I have started using unbleached flour in all of my cooking and baking. I don't want to be eating something that has to be bleached to whiten it. I would rather have it natural.
I also like to use free range eggs. In the summer months we buy them from a farmer who is just down the road from where I live. I do not support an inhumane industry such as the one which produces eggs from caged hens.
You have to pick your battles in life and that is one of mine. My first husband came from a farming family. They had battery hens. It is an appalling industry. I don't mind paying a bit more when it comes to eggs.
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
I also use organic, unbleached sugar. I buy it in a huge bag from Costco. Again, I like to use as natural and unrefined a product as I can. In the U.K I used to buy only natural sugar and it was readily available in all the shops.
I also loved to use Muscovado sugar rather than brown sugar. Again, it was more natural, but that has nothing to do with pancakes! Just my fussiness!
I also don't bother for the most part with having two kinds of butter in my kitchen. I buy lightly salted and I use it for everything. (Boy, do I miss European butter.)
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
HOW TO MAKE EASY PANCAKES FOR ONE (FROM SCRATCH)
Nothing is really simpler than making pancakes so long as you follow a few rules.
Pancake batter goes together much the same as a muffin batter does. Mix together your dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix your wet ingredients separately and then add the wet to the dry and lightly combine.
One don't overmix your batter. As with all quick breads (and pancakes are considered a quick bread), overmixing produces a rubbery finish. Use a light touch and just mix the batter until no dry streaks remain. A few lumps are a.o.k.
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
Two, don't be in a rush. Heat your pan too high and your pancakes will be burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. Use a medium heat and don't flip your pancake until the surface is covered with tiny bubbles. By then it should be golden brown on the bottom side and you can flip it over.
You can keep the pancakes warm while you finish using up all the batter in a low oven.
I have heard it said that the first pancake is always hit and miss. I don't believe that. There is no reason why your first pancake and your second pancake and your third and so on can't all be perfect!
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
This really is a great basic recipe and can be a jumping off point for you to use your imagination and try out different kinds.
If you want chocolate chip pancakes, by all means throw in a dash of vanilla and a small handful of chocolate chips.
If you want blueberry pancakes, try adding some finely grated lemon zest and a small handful of berries. I actually find it easier and better to add the berries while I am cooking the pancakes. Just sprinkle a few over top before the flip while the batter is still fairly wet and not many bubbles have formed.
.JPG "Easy Pancakes for One")
With Pancake day coming up (Shrove Tuesday on the 21st of February) here are some more Pancake recipes that you might also enjoy!
WORLD'S BEST SILVER DOLLAR PANCAKES - My children always loved it when I made these. The size of a silver dollar they loved being able to fit a whole one in their mouth. They are tender and fluffy and oh so tasty!
BLUEBERRY BUTTERMILK PANCAKES - These are incredibly light and fluffy and stay light and fluffy. Some pancakes fall after they sit. These don't. They are the best blueberry pancakes in my humble opinion.
Yield: 1
Easy Pancakes for One
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min
Light, soft and fluffy pancakes. These delicious pancakes go together very quickly and are perfectly sized to please just one person! All natural!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 TBS granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 large free range egg
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1 TBS butter, melted
- more butter to grease the skillet
- butter and maple syrup to serve
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl.
- Whisk the milk, egg and melted butter together in another bowl.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Stir together with a fork just to combine. A few lumps are okay. If you think the batter is too thick you can add a bit more milk.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle pan over medium heat. Rub with a bit of butter.
- Ladle 1/3 of the batter into the pan and rotate the pan to make a pancake.
- Cook over medium heat until the surface of the pancake is covered with bubbles, and the pancake is golden brown on the bottom. Flip over with a spatula and brown the other side.
- Keep warm and repeat to make two more pancakes.
- Serve hot with some butter for spreading and maple syrup for pouring. You can also serve some fruit on the side if you wish. I am particularly fond of peaches.
Notes
If you like blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes, you can easily adapt this recipe to suit. For blueberry pancakes, add a small amount of grated lemon zest to the batter and then sprinkle a few blueberries on top while you are cooking them in the pan.
For chocolate chip pancakes, add 1/2 tsp of vanilla to the batter and stir in 2 TBS of chocolate chips.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I am excited to share this delicious Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake recipe with you today! In the UK the term coffee cake usually refers to a cake that is highly flavored with coffee. Here in North America the term coffee cake refers instead to a cake which is meant to be enjoyed with a hot drink, such as tea or coffee.
Everyone has their favorite recipes for coffee cakes here in North American as well.
Wikipedia refers to a coffee cake as the following:
North American coffee cakes are typically presented in a single layer, flavored with either fruit or cinnamon, and leavened with baking soda (or baking powder), which results in a more cake-like texture, or yeast, which results in a more bread-like texture. They may be loaf-shaped or baked in a Bundt or tube pan.
.jpg "Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake")
The recipe I am sharing with you today is a North American style coffee cake which has been leavened with baking powder and soda. The original recipe comes from the King Arthur Baking Companion Cookbook, but you can also find it here.
I have downsized it to a loaf sized cake, which is much more welcome in my kitchen, and I have also converted the measurements to metric for European bakers. I actually prefer baking by metrics myself. It is a much more precise method of measuring.
Not all measuring cups are equal. Some hold more than others, but that is not a mistake you will ever run into when you are baking by weight. A gram is always a gram, is a gram!
Once you get used to baking that way, you never want to revert to the other. I would not want to be without a good set of electronic kitchen scales, and that is one of the first items I purchased for myself when I moved back to Canada.
This is a lovely and tender cake with a beautiful crumb and flavor. That is largely due to the use of sour cream in the batter. You can also use plain yogurt if you don't have sour cream.
I kept the amounts for the streusel which both fills and tops this cake as the full-sized measurements. In my opinion you can never have too much streusel!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CINNAMON PECAN COFFEE CAKE (SMALL BATCH)
Simple everyday baking cupboard ingredients. The only hint for success I would give you is to make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature, so take them out of the refrigerator about half an hour or so before you want to begin.
For the streusel:
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
For the cake:
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free-range egg at room temperature
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
There is the option for a more substantial and traditional streusel topping which I have not included in the recipe. You can find that option on the King Arthur Baking Page. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page.
The full-sized recipe is also there. It can be baked in a 9 1/2-inch Bundt pan or a 9-inch square pan. That is simply too much cake for little old me!
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON PECAN COFFEE CAKE (SMALL BATCH)
This is a very easy cake to make. Just make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature and follow the instructions. Success will be yours.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter and flour an 8X4X3-inch loaf tin, or butter and line with some baking paper. set aside.
Stir together all of the streusel ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.
Beat together in a medium sized bowl, the butter, sugar and egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt.
Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream or yogurt, stirring well to combine after each addition.
Spread half of the batter in the prepared loaf tin. Top with half of the streusel. top with the remainder of the batter and then top with the last of the streusel.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it.
Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out to a wire rack to finish cooling. Can be served warm or at room temperature. Cut into thick slices to serve.
This really is a tender and moist cake to make. I have been baking this one or one similar to it for a great many years. When the children were growing up, I used to bake it in a 9-inch square baking tin. I also sometimes added mini chocolate chips to the streusel which they loved.
It's always been a real family favorite and if you bake it, you will know why. It's perfectly delicious!
Some other cake recipes I have shared on here that you might enjoy with a hot drink are:
SMALL BATCH ZUCCHINI COFFEE CAKE - Moist, delicious, flavored with browned butter and nicely spiced. Flecked with green specks of zucchini and topped with a moreish buttery sweet cinnamon brown sugar streusel and a sweet glaze.
BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE - A cake you will be proud to serve to anyone. A cake that you will be unable to resist sinking your fork into, again and again. You may even find yourself getting up in the middle of the night to enjoy a slice . . . if it lasts that long! A fabulously tasty cake with a lovely thread of cinnamon sugar swirl throughout . . . studded with plenty of plump sweet berries.
Yield: 1 (8X4X3) loaf
Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min
A tender and delicious loaf cake filled and topped with a moreish cinnamon nut streusel.
Ingredients
For the streusel:
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
For the cake:
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free-range egg at room temperature
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter and flour an 8X4X3-inch loaf tin, or butter and line with some baking paper. set aside.
- Stir together all of the streusel ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.
- Beat together in a medium sized bowl, the butter, sugar and egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream or yogurt, stirring well to combine after each addition.
- Spread half of the batter in the prepared loaf tin. Top with half of the streusel. top with the remainder of the batter and then top with the last of the streusel.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it.
- Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Can be served warm or at room temperature. Cut into thick slices to serve.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I wanted to make myself some muffins to keep in the freezer for my breakfasts over the next few weeks. Something not too large or too sweet or too filled with fat. In other words, somewhat healthy.
I happened upon this recipe for Maple Bran Muffins in a cookery book by Ken Haedrich entitled Maple Syrup Cookbook. I purchased my copy second hand on a used book site.
I have been a huge fan of Ken's cookbooks for a number of years now. I had several that I purchased in the 1990's and then took over to the UK with me. Of course, they got left behind when I had to come back to Canada.
I am slowly trying to replace at least some of the books that got left, and this was one of them.
One thing I really love about Ken's baking recipes is his propensity for using simple, uncomplicated ingredients, fats, natural sweeteners, whole grain flours, etc. Wholesome baking.
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
One reason that this recipe appealed to me was that it was a known contest winner, having won a 1999 recipe contest sponsored by the Wisconsin Maple Association. (The winning entry was submitted by Joan Lukes of Merrin, Wisconsin.)
Another reason this recipe appealed was because it used no fats whatsoever with the exception of 1 TBS of butter in the topping, so each muffin would only contain 1/12 of a TBS of fat.
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
Also, I love the flavor of maple and I adore bran muffins. This seemed like a really winning combination to me!
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MAPLE BRAN MUFFINS
With the exception of perhaps the Maple syrup, you probably have everything you need in the kitchen right now to make these delicious muffins.
- 1 cup (140g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup (41g) bran flakes
- 1/3 cup (50g) raisins
- 1/2 cup (58g) chopped toasted walnuts (optional)
- 1 cup (240ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (120g) dairy sour cream
- 2 large free-range eggs
For the topping:
- 3 TBS all purpose, plain flour
- 2 TBS firmly packed soft light brown sugar
- 1 TBS butter
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
I like to use a "B" grade Maple Syrup. It's a bit darker in color than regular maple syrup and has a stronger flavor than regular maple syrup.
Dark and intensely flavored, it is produced later in the season than regular Maple Syrup.
Regular Maple Syrup comes in three levels of Grade "A", light amber, medium amber and dark amber, depending on when during the Maple Season it is harvested. The earlier in the season the lighter the color and the more delicate the flavor.
"B" grade is perfect for baking and cooking with, its boldness working well with meats, sweet potatoes, baked beans, desserts, muffins, breads, etc.
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
The use of sour cream works with the baking soda to give these muffins a bit of a rise. They will not rise really tall, however. (Just so you know.) They are the perfect sized breakfast muffin.
I used regular full fat sour cream, but light sour cream will also work.
I used Bran Flakes cereal and unbleached flour. I did not add the nuts this time, just the raisins.
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
As you can see, they are not huge muffins, but a medium sized muffin, which is just right or breakfast along with a bowl of fruit, or for a mid-morning snack with your mid-morning cuppa!
The buttery brown sugar streusel on top adds just a tiny bit of a moreish crunch. You could use maple sugar for even more maple flavor!
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
HOW TO MAKE MAPLE BRAN MUFFINS
Muffins are probably one of the easiest things to make in the area of quick breads. Make sure not to overmix the ingredients as the end result will be a tougher muffin.
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 12-cup medium muffin tin really well or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Rub the butter, flour, and brown sugar together for the topping in a small bowl until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
Whisk the maple syrup, sour cream and eggs together in a bowl. Set aside.
Whisk the flour and baking soda together in a bowl. Add the bran flakes, raisins and walnuts (if using.) Give everything a good stir.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together just to combine. Spoon the batter (it will be loose) into the muffin cups filling them 3/4 full.
Sprinkle a portion of the topping on top of each muffin.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. Serve warm.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for several days or frozen for longer. Gently reheat in the microwave for a few seconds.
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
HINTS AND TIPS FOR PERFECT MUFFINS
1. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately in different bowls and then mix together.
2. Do not over beat/mix your batter. Mix only to combine. The best batter is expected to be a bit lumpy, thick, and floury.
3. Don't overfill your muffin cups. 3/4 full is ideal.
4. If you don't have enough batter to fill all your cups, fill the empty ones with water. This promotes even baking in your muffins and will prevent your pan from buckling.
5. Leave the baked muffins to cool in the pan for five minutes before removing them from the pan. Do not let them sit in the pan until cold. This will give you soggy muffins.
6. Muffins freeze wonderfully. If you cannot eat them all in one day, wrap each one tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze together in a zip lock baggie. That way you can remove just however many you want at any given time without having to thaw them all out.
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
I really enjoyed these muffins. The flavor of the maple was just right, and I loved the slight sweetness of the sticky raisins studding the muffins.
They were so good that I confess I had two for breakfast. I couldn't help myself!
.JPG "Maple Bran Muffins")
Some other muffin recipes which you might enjoy are:
These are the PERFECT breakfast muffins. Quick and easy to make. Delicious. I highly recommend. Simple and filled with fiber. You can use ordinary Special K cereal, or you can be a bit more extravagant and use one of the varieties which contain fruit. This recipe makes half a dozen fabulous muffins.
Prepare yourself to fall in love with this small batch muffin recipe with makes six gorgeously delicious muffins. They embody all the flavors of your favorite cinnamon rolls, except they are muffins, not a yeast bread. I am of the school that cinnamon flavored anything is good. It doesn't really matter too much what it is, and these are OMG good!
Yield: 12 medium muffins
Maple Bran Muffins
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
A delicious little muffin that is low in fat and high in fiber and taste! Sweetened naturally with maple syrup, these are a real winner of a muffin!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup (41g) bran flakes
- 1/3 cup (50g) raisins
- 1/2 cup (58g) chopped toasted walnuts (optional)
- 1 cup (240ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (120g) dairy sour cream
- 2 large free-range eggs
For the topping:
- 3 TBS all purpose, plain flour
- 2 TBS firmly packed soft light brown sugar
- 1 TBS butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 12-cup medium muffin tin really well or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Rub the butter, flour, and brown sugar together for the topping in a small bowl until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
- Whisk the maple syrup, sour cream and eggs together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour and baking soda together in a bowl. Add the bran flakes, raisins and walnuts (if using.) Give everything a good stir.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together just to combine. Spoon the batter (it will be loose) into the muffin cups filling them 3/4 full.
- Sprinkle a portion of the topping on top of each muffin.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. Serve warm.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for several days or frozen for longer. Gently reheat in the microwave for a few seconds.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons