maple-roasted nectarine pancakes

The photography in this post is going to be a bit erratic because 1) I shot it at different times of the day, 2) I'm not very good at photography, and 3) I'm kind of an idiot. As the days pass I'm slowly but surely degrading into a mushy pile of peanut butter and pancakes. 

But enough about me, let's turn our focus to the important matter, the thing which is captured within the execrable photography - the humble pancake stack. It all started with a question. A question of whether it was possible to incorporate maple syrup, a topping that dowses and sogs pancake stacks all across America, within the batter itself. Finally the answer would come to me a whole 2 hours later - simply substitute sugar with maple syrup. Any simpleton could have come up with that. That's why I had to push the envelope; cue the maple-roasted nectarines.

Despite the elaborate title, these pancakes could not be more simple. It's amazing what a couple extra minutes can do to transform regular old pancakes into fluffy, fruity awemazing cakes of happiness. This recipe is so good, I'd even recommend it to my Canadian friends. And they're crazy about maple syrup...and nectarines. It's true. 

Recipe

1 1/2 cups of flour

3 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1 1/4 cups of milk

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 egg

zest of one clementine

3 nectarines, pitted and cubed

3 tablespoons of maple syrup

2 tablespoons of melted butter

Preparation:

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. If you're worried about lumps, don't be. Whisking the mixture will achieve the same result as sifting it. The worst thing in the world is cleaning a sieve. I reiterate; the worst. 

2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Carefully pour the milk, maple syrup, and olive oil into the well. Also crack an egg and zest a clementine into the wet ingredients. Mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. 

3. Wash and cut the nectarines into quarters, and then each quarter into quarters. The result should be a rough chop. Toss the fruit pieces in maple syrup and a little melted butter and arrange them on a baking paper lined cookie sheet. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes at 400F. Let them cool for 10 minutes before you add them to the pancake batter

4. Heat up a greased griddle/frying pan on medium flame. Brown both sides and serve hot with a garnish of reserved nectarines, a pad of butter, a dusting of powdered sugar, and an extra drizzle of maple syrup. Just because someone is going to ask, here is a comprehensive guide to flipping pancakes. First, I always use a ring mold to make sure my pancakes are perfectly circular and the same size. Don't be afraid of using oil. I always add a little oil after every pancake so I make sure they don't stick. Cook the pancake on one side and don't move it. Wait till the surface of the pancake forms bubbles. Once the surface looks dry and the bubbles hold, carefully flip the pancakes with a spatula. Cook the other side for half the time you cooked the first side. Perfect pancakes every time. 

At least every week I find the energy to wake up really early and make breakfast for the family. Let me tell you there's nothing like fresh fluffy pancakes in the morning. And as the chef, you get to hoard the perfectly ugly pancakes, the ones that aren't very photogenic but somehow have the most nectarines. 

Thanks to all of you who got through this messy, terribly photographed post. I swear the pancakes were extremely delicious. I'll try harder next time. And as always, 

Chow!

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