Yield: 8 pancakes

So, I’m still on Spring Break, and woke up to a cool, rainy day that seemed like perfect pancake weather, but then I don’t need much encouragement. It’s a good thing that I had time to experiment this morning, as this recipe took two tries. The first was a disaster.

Thinking that brandy and a little orange juice concentrate sounded good with coffee, I added both to my go-to pancake batter, along with the instant coffee. Because of the coffee’s slight bitterness, I added more sugar than usual. Though the batter tasted very good, when I began cooking the pancakes, they burned almost instantly and the texture was sort of spongy and flaccid. My conclusion was that the sugar content was way too high.

So, I tried again for lunch and this time I loved the result. I omitted the brandy and the O.J. and did not increase the sugar. I’m not sure what I was thinking previously, as these are perfect just the way they are. Enjoy!

1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons instant espresso or coffee (I used instant decaf coffee)
generous pinch ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla soy milk would also be good–regular or lite)
Vegan butter (I like Earth Balance) and/or vegetable oil for frying
Vegan Mocha-Maple Syrup (recipe follows)
Garnish: per serving, a dollop of plain or vanilla soy yogurt and a light dusting of cinnamon

Preheat oven to warm. In a medium mixing bowl, place first 7 ingredients. Make a well in the center and add soymilk. Stir together with a fork or whisk until well combined. Melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter, the oil or a combination. (I like a combination: the oil reduces chances of burning while the butter contributes flavor.) Using a 1/4 cup measure, make pancakes, two at a time. Cook a couple of minutes on the first side until you see a few bubbles, get a nice rise and the edges appear set. Gently flip and cook another couple of minutes on the reverse. Add butter and/or oil to keep skillet greased as needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower heat to medium, especially for second side. (While pancakes cook, make syrup.) When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm in the preheated oven, and repeat with remaining butter and/or oil and pancake batter. Serve warm with syrup and garnish.

Vegan Mocha-Maple Syrup

1/4 cup prepared coffee
1/4 cup maple syrup or brown sugar + a dash of maple extract
generous 1/4 cup bittersweet vegan chocolate chips (I find that organic chocolate is typically vegan)
1 tablespoon of plain soy creamer

In a small cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat first 3 ingredients together, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and chocolate melts. Simmer for a few minutes until the mixture reduces just slightly. Stir in soy creamer until completely incorporated. Keep syrup warm until serving time.

I’m home on Spring Break this week with time to make weekend morning fare mid-week. I know these pancakes (dubbed “Brandycakes” by my husband) sound more fitting for autumn, but they were completely satisfying, even though we’re having 80 to 90-degree days.

When I was trying to imagine what would be compatible with the figs besides the dried spices, yet provide an unexpected twist, the brandy occurred to me first–I always have to sneak some of the “good stuff” for cooking when my husband is out of the house–but that didn’t seem quite layered enough. And then it hit me: fresh rosemary.

I think you’ll agree that this combination would be hard to beat in any season.

Yield: 8 pancakes

8 dried Mission figs, quartered and then finely chopped
2 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup self-rising flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
4 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch ground mace or cloves
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup plain soy yogurt
1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla soy milk would also be good–regular or lite) + another tablespoon or two if needed
1/4 cup brandy
Vegan butter (I like Earth Balance) and/or vegetable oil for frying
Vegan Maple-Brandy-Rosemary-Pecan Syrup (recipe follows)
Garnish: per serving, 1 dried Mission fig, sliced lengthwise in half, and a tiny sprig of fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to warm. Place figs in a small cup or bowl and pour the first 2 tablespoons of brandy over. Allow to macerate while you prepare the rest of the batter. In a medium mixing bowl, place next 7 ingredients. Make a well in the center and spoon/pour in yogurt, soymilk and brandy. Stir together with a fork until well combined. Stir in figs and any remaining liquid. Melt 1 additional tablespoon of the vegan butter, the oil or a combination. (I like a combination: the oil reduces chances of burning while the butter contributes flavor.) Using a 1/4 cup measure, make pancakes, two at a time. Cook a couple of minutes on the first side until you see a few bubbles, get a nice rise and the edges appear set. Gently flip and cook another couple of minutes on the reverse. Add butter and/or oil to keep skillet greased as needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower heat to medium, especially for second side. (While pancakes cook, make syrup.) When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm in the preheated oven, and repeat with remaining butter and/or oil and pancake batter. Serve warm with syrup and garnish.

Vegan Maple-Brandy Rosemary-Pecan Syrup

2 tablespoon vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves only
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoon brandy
1/4 cup pecan pieces

In a small cast iron skillet over medium-high, melt butter. Add rosemary, bruising between your fingers as you drop it into the butter. And remaining ingredients, and heat slowly, stirring occasionally, for a couple of minutes. Reduce heat if bubbling too fast. If you heat it slowly, the brandy shouldn’t combust. If it does, it will burn off on its own. Keep syrup warm until serving time.

Yield: 6 pancakes (8 if you use self-rising flour)

As my regular readers know, I am a fool for pancakes, especially those that capture my favorite taste sensations from one context and present them in the form of a stack of these delicious disks. In this case, my inspiration was a favorite childhood snack of peanut butter on graham crackers. The graham cracker flavor is subtle, but undeniable, and the texture exactly right: a tiny bit more toothsome than pancakes made only with flour, but still pleasantly cakey. And the Vegan Peanut Butter-Maple Syrup? All I can say is, “Look out!” It’s easy to ladle on too much and, if you do, it’d impossible not to eat it all.

½ cup whole wheat flour or self-rising flour (the latter will yield slightly taller and a couple more pancakes)
1/2 cup fine graham cracker crumbs (you may need to make your own to avoid honey)
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsweetened soy milk (plain or vanilla soy milk would also be good–regular or lite)
Vegan butter and/or vegetable oil for frying
Vegan Peanut Butter-Maple Syrup (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to warm. In a medium mixing bowl, place first 5 ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in soy milk. Stir together with a fork until well combined. In a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter, oil or a combination. (I like a combination: the oil reduces chances of burning while the butter contributes flavor.) Using a 1/4 cup measure, make pancakes, two at a time. Cook a couple of minutes on the first side until you get a slight rise and the edges appear set. (These pancakes will not develop lots of bubbles, except around the edges, to indicate doneness.) Gently flip and cook another couple of minutes on the reverse. Add butter and/or oil to keep skillet greased as needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower heat to medium, especially for second side. When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm, and repeat with remaining butter and pancake batter. Serve warm with Vegan Peanut Butter-Maple Syrup.

Vegan Peanut Butter-Maple Syrup:
4 tablespoon smooth or chunky peanut butter
4 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Whisk together and heat gently in microwave for a few seconds. Note: you can make as much syrup as you like; just whisk together equal parts of peanut butter and maple syrup.