For every chef and want-to-be chef like myself there is a recipe for pancakes. I have a favourite recipe that I just change up to match my mood or the season. I add fresh blueberries, grated apple, diced peaches, frozen corn...yes corn....try it you might like it. This morning I felt like a raspberry/chocolate combo. Raspberries and chocolate are the perfect marriage of flavours. The unfortunate thing is that I could not possibly polish off this entire plate of pancakes!!Therefore some of the lovely,chocolaty, gooey concoction dripping with maple syrup was left behind on the plate. I did my best....but not good enough....You can use buttermilk in place of the lemon juice and milk..but I usually use this combination because I never have buttermilk around when the craving hits me.
I have read on people's blogs that they take their food photos in natural light. These pancakes were in the great outdoors!
This is also my entry to Sweetnicks's ARF-Tuesday Roundup. ARF Foods are foods that are rich in antioxidants. You can find Sweetnick's and her talented blog over at http://sweetnicks.blogspot.com So even though we have chocolate these pancakes are still good for you!!!
**Raspberry Chocolate Chip Pancakes**
1 T juice from 1 lemon
2 cups milk
2 cups unbleached white flour
2 T sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
3 R unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 - 2 tsp vegetable oil
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Whisk the lemon juice and milk in a medium bowl or large measuring cup; set aside to thicken while preparing other ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowel to combine.
Whisk the egg and melted butter into the milk until combined. Make a well in centre of the dry ingredients in the bowl; pour int eh milk mixture , and 1/2 cup chocolate chips and whisk very gently until just combined a few lumps should remain). Do not over mix.
Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 - 5 minutes; add 1 tsp oil and brush to coat the skillet bottom evenly. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto three spots on the skillet; sprinkle with 4 or 5 raspberries over each pancake. Cook the pancakes until large bubbles begin to appear, 1-1/2 - 2 minutes. Using a thin, wide spatula, flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown on second side, 1-1/2 - 2 minutes longer.
Serve immediately, and repeat with the remaining batter, using the remaining vegetable oil if necessary.
Serve with maple syrup or dusted with icing sugar.
