Spiced Apple Pancakes
On a damp and blustery day in February, it feels very comforting to be considering pancakes. Although the carpets of snowdrops are lining the roads of the forest and it’s a reminder that Spring is on its way.
When making raw pancakes, it pays to be ahead of the game. Cooked pancakes can be rustled up in moments whereas ditching the frying pan in favour of lightly dried in the dehydrator, takes a little longer.
Raw dehydrated pancakes are a breed apart from their pan-fried counterpart. They are chewier but if they sit with the filling in for a while, they will become softer and easier to pull apart with the side of a fork. You can make a stash of pancakes ahead of time and store them layered between pieces of baking parchment to prevent them from sticking together. Wrap them well with clingfilm/wrap. These should keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks before you are ready to devour them.
These are ministered by some simple marinated apples, delicious with an extra drizzle of maple syrup or perhaps a scoop of homemade coconut yoghurt.
There are no set rules. To inspire you here are some other classic serving suggestions.
almond butter, vanilla cashew cream and berries
spiced clementine compote with vanilla ice cream
defrosted cherries, raw chocolate sauce and chocolate ice cream
and some nut-free ideas…
coconut cream, berries and grated raw chocolate
blood orange slices and raw chocolate sauce
banana, chocolate sauce and tahini
Photography: Dawn Langley
SPICED APPLE PANCAKES
PANCAKE INGREDIENTS
Makes 5-6 pancakes
6 tablespoons buckwheat flour or gluten free oat flour
3 very ripe bananas
1 tablespoon ground golden linseed (flaxseed)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch sea salt
METHOD
Sieve the buckwheat/oat flour. In a high-speed blender, whizz together the bananas with the sieved flour, ground linseed, vanilla and sea salt until it is a smooth batter. You are aiming for it to be a thick cream and not too runny. Place two spoonfuls of the batter on a teflex sheet and using the back of a spoon, form thin rounds of about 5 inches in diameter. With practice, you will be able to produce similar looking pancakes each time. Dehydrate at 115F for 5 hours. Remove the pancakes from the teflex sheet, flip and then continue to dehydrate for a further hour to dry the underside.
MARINATED APPLES INGREDIENTS
3-4 apples, cored (total weight approximately 350g – 400g)
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons raisins
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
METHOD
Whisk together the maple syrup, brown rice syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon and salt. Cut the apple in half from the top to bottom through the core. Remove the core. Finely dice the apple. Toss the apple with the raisins into the maple mixture and turn over so it is well coated. Set aside for at least 3 hours for the fruit to soften, folding the mixture occasionally. Spoon into the pancakes.
PRESENTATION: Place a small amount of marinated apple on the lower half of each pancake. Fold the top over the filling with some of the marinated apple cascading out. Serve with maple syrup and perhaps, coconut yoghurt
PRO CHEF TIPS
If the batter is too thin, add another teaspoon of buckwheat/oat flour and whizz again. If the batter is too thick, then you can loosen it by blending with a tablespoon or two of water until you reach the desired consistency.
Pancakes are just one of the brunch ideas presented in the Diploma in Raw Chef Mastery. If you are interested in taking your skills to the next level, whether it’s for personal or professional reason, check out the next intake of the programme.
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