First, I should start this post by saying that I’m usually a crepe lover. I grew up with crepes being a family weekend staple, usually enjoyed with just a a little granulated sugar and a generous squeeze of lemon. My mom, as I’ve mentioned before, doesn’t cook very much, but what she makes, she makes amazingly well.
Let me tell you, even though I didn’t grow up eating pancakes (when I first moved here I use to call them the crepe’s, fatter and less popular cousin) these pancakes are absolutely amazing and didn’t make me miss the crepes a single second! They are part of my new quest in the kitchen: baking with new types of flours. I’ve always had the feeling that although flour is, of course, needed in baked goods it really doesn’t bring much in the flavour department. By using more flavourful, textured flours you end up needing to use a lot less sugar as well. Let’s face it, if flour and sugar were in a battle they would be carrying pretty similar weapons. Sugar, besides pure, basic sweetness, holds very little subtleties in flavor. That’s why I usually tend to use brown sugar instead of white as the addition of molasses makes the taste of the sugar more interesting. In the case of these little pancakes, the buckwheat flour mixed in with freshly grated pears makes them the best pancakes I’ve ever had.
Pear and Buckwheat Pancakes
Adapted From Good to the Grain
Dry Mix:
1 cup of buckwheat flour
1 cup of whole-grain pastry flour
3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
2 tsp of baking powder
3/4 tsp of kosher salt
Wet Mix:
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 + 1/4 cup of whole milk
1 egg
2 medium ripe pears
Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
In another bowl, whisk the melted butter, milk and egg until thoroughly combined.
Peel the pears. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the whole, peeled pears into the milk mixture. The pear juice should fall into the milk along with the grated pears.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently combine using a rubber spatula.
Heat a cast iron pan or griddle over medium heat until water sizzles when splashed on the pan. Rub the pan generously with butter. Working quickly, dollop 1/4 cup mounds of batter onto the pan.
Once bubbles have begun to form, flip and cook until bottoms are golden brown. The pancakes should cook for about 5 minutes total.
Wipe the pan with a cloth before the next batch and rub the pan with butter again. Serve warm, with maple syrup and fresh fruit. Enjoy!
Enjoy the read!
warmvanillasugar
October 25, 2010 at 11:04 am (14 years ago)I absolutely love buckwheat. Great idea to put it in pancakes!
inka
October 25, 2010 at 12:18 pm (14 years ago)heaven….:)
Torviewtoronto
October 25, 2010 at 12:18 pm (14 years ago)lovely picture
Audrey
October 25, 2010 at 12:42 pm (14 years ago)I just bought some buckwheat flour, because there’s a buckwheat and dried pear bread I’ve been wanting to try. Can’t find DRIED pears anywhere (except online), and I love fresh pears, so I think you’re inspiring me to go in a different direction…thanks for sharing; this sounds so good!
angela walker jewelry
October 25, 2010 at 2:12 pm (14 years ago)Going to try this recipe next weekend! Sounds delicious. 🙂
Health and happiness,
Angela
Junglefrog
October 25, 2010 at 2:15 pm (14 years ago)I love buckwheat but have never used it in pancakes before! Well i used it in blini so technically i DID use it in pancakes but still… This sounds so delicious with the pear mixed in!!
Prerna@IndianSimmer
October 25, 2010 at 3:58 pm (14 years ago)Love buckwheat and love the recipe but I have to admit that the photograph beats it all! Gorgeous shot!
WizzyTheStick
October 25, 2010 at 5:44 pm (14 years ago)Buckwheat is a new flour to me. I will try to get my hands on some to try this.
Taz
October 25, 2010 at 6:34 pm (14 years ago)yum, these sound delicious!
~Lisa~
October 25, 2010 at 9:20 pm (14 years ago)I love pancakes, crepes, love it all. And this recipe sounds delicious. And love love love the photo!
Beth @ Kitchen Minions
October 25, 2010 at 10:09 pm (14 years ago)I love that you used to call them crepes fatter cousin. Awesome!
Nina Timm
October 25, 2010 at 11:40 pm (14 years ago)Yikes, that is beautiful. Lovely pic and I bet it tasted divine!!
Chanel11
October 26, 2010 at 1:09 am (14 years ago)I’ve always wondered what buckwheat pancakes were like, and yours sound yummy 🙂
Patricia Scarpin
October 26, 2010 at 7:15 am (14 years ago)I am so in love with that book, too! And I’ve been trying to use different kinds of flours as well, Jen. Those pancakes look absurdly good! I wonder if I can still find pears around here, since it’s spring already.
marla {family fresh cooking}
October 26, 2010 at 9:10 am (14 years ago)I am with you on the use of healthier and diverse flours. It is rare that I use a traditional white flour around here. I have been wondering what to cook up with some pears we have – these pancakes need to be created!
A Canadian Foodie
October 26, 2010 at 11:36 am (14 years ago)I do a pancake unit with my grade 7’s and this would be a great recipe for nearer the end of the unit as it is a bit complex, but it would open a whole new world of ideas for them.
🙂
Valerie
Maria @ Scandi Foodie
October 26, 2010 at 1:24 pm (14 years ago)These looks so delicious. I love using buckwheat flour in pancakes too and pear is always a winner! Gorgeous!
pigpigscorner
October 26, 2010 at 3:40 pm (14 years ago)Buckwheat? I shall keep that in mind!
Joudie's Mood Food
October 27, 2010 at 5:18 pm (14 years ago)What a lovely recipe/ I ove crepes too. Especially crepes suzettes….
Deborah
October 29, 2010 at 2:10 pm (14 years ago)This would be the perfect weekend breakfast!
Kasper
October 31, 2010 at 12:33 pm (14 years ago)Made it yesterday and it will be my new standard pancake recipe!