National Pancake Day - I Added the Chocolate Syrup!

It's National Pancake Day!!  

Make that pan-a-cakes, if you're in our house.  Who doesn't enjoy a stack of delicious piping hot pancakes for breakfast.  You can easily make pancakes from scratch but I use a baking mix and then "doctor" up the mix for whatever our fancy may be that day.

Just because you use a boxed mix doesn't mean you have to keep it in its box.  I use old pantry jars to hold most dry goods.  If you need the measurements for biscuits, pancakes, etc., just copy it from the box and tape it to the jar.

Did you know that most old teacups hold exactly one cup?  That makes them perfect as scoops in flour and sugar jars.  And, the look nice too.  This one is a vintage Homer Laughlin teacup.  I assume it was made for a restaurant or hotel because of the JC monogram. 

Now let's add some flavor!  I add a splash of maple flavoring.  I also substitute part of the milk with flavored creamer.  If the recipe calls for 1 cup of milk, you can add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup of creamer.  When I substitute with creamer, I do not add any sugar that the instructions list.  Flavored creamer has enough sweetness and it makes the pancakes really gooooood ;)

Mix well!

Here's a pancake trick that I picked up from Julia Child's cookbook.  Let the batter rest for a few minutes before pouring it in your pan.  You can see in the photo above, there are a lot more air bubbles in the second photo than the first.  Those bubbles will help make fluffier pancakes.

Whether you're using a pan like this one (which I happen to think is the bomb-diggity for making pancakes) or a griddle, always preheat it before adding your batter.  Otherwise, you batter will continue to spread and your pancake will be thin instead of thick and fluffy.

So, now that you've got a nice stack of flap jacks, how about making this to top them with?  Hot, chocolaty syrup!  Here's what you'll need:  1 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I just use store brand or whatever may be on sale), 2 tablespoons of butter, and 1/3 cup of sugar.  Put everything in a saucepan and gradually heat to a slow boil.  Once it begins to boil, turn the heat down to simmer.  I like my chocolate syrup thin so that it saturates the pancakes.  If you would like it thicker, you can add a little bit of cornstarch before the boil.  But I wouldn't...just saying :)

So we've got everything prepared.  Let's put it all together.

Mmmm....hot buttery pancakes.  Ready for the syrup!

Oh my goodness, I can hardly wait!

Oh yeah!  Keep going!

That will just about do it!  See the chocolate syrup puddled around the pancakes?  That's when you know you've got enough on there.  It won't stay a puddle for long.  It's going to soak right into those pancakes, making them incredible!

It's a good thing National Pancake Day is on a Saturday.  I think I'm going to need a nap after these!

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!

Angie

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