I am nothing, if not efficient – at least as far as planning my blogging goes. This week is Breakfast Week, in two weeks’ time it is Bramley Apple Week and slap bang in the middle of Bramley Apple Week is Pancake Day (AKA Shrove Tuesday). So what better way to celebrate all three events than Bramley Apple Breakfast Pancakes? Well, I thought it sounded like a good idea! My only concern was – would they taste nice? A minor concern, obviously, I am yet to taste a pancake that doesn’t taste good, but I added in some cinnamon, maple syrup and pecan nuts, just to make sure. And do you know what? They taste amazing…now all I have to do is work out how to tie these in to Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day and I’m sorted for the month of February!
I adapted this recipe from an old American pancake recipe given to me in Holland by a friend from New Zealand, which she had got from an American friend in Albania. So rather an international pancake recipe in the end, especially when drizzled with some proper Canadian maple syrup and mixed with some nice British bramleys (and made by a nice British girl – I am British by the way, despite having a French first name and an Italian surname!)
Apart from adding in some grated bramley apple, I have swapped the plain flour and baking powder for wholewheat self raising flour. This was partly because my husband and I are on a health kick at the moment and we are trying to reduce our consumption of white refined flour, partly because I had some in my cupboard and wanted to use it up, but mostly because I had a hunch that it would complement the apples and maple syrup beautifully and actually be BETTER than using white flour. (I was right by the way). However, if you are not a fan of brown flour, by all means use white self raising flour or plain white flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder. I’ve also used maple syrup instead of sugar in the recipe as well as for drizzling. Depending on who you talk to, maple syrup is supposed to be slightly better for you than refined white sugar. What I do know is it is a good deal more tasty than refined white sugar!
I chose to use American pancakes as they are easier to make (well they are for me anyway, I’ve had my fair share of French pancake disasters over the years, but never any drama with American pancakes) and they are a little bit thicker, which I think works better with the addition of apple.
Now I’m not pretending these pancakes are a health food, BUT by using brown flour instead of white, adding in fruit and nuts and using maple syrup instead of refined white sugar they are a teensy weensy bit healthier than their white-flour-white-sugar cousins and I think a whole lot more tasty (and, for the record, I really like the white-flour-white-sugar version!)
I’ve called these breakfast pancakes because they would make a fabulous breakfast for anyone who has the time. Sadly I do not. Even at the weekends I usually have about 30 minutes to make/eat/wash up and am consequently usually a strictly toast and cereal girl. If you are like me and don’t have the time to make these for breakfast they still make a fabulous pudding and I’m sure they would go down brilliantly on pancake day. Even with little people. My kids lapped these up when I tried them out on them (though this was partly due to the maple roasted pecans which they always go mad for!)
If you want to make these ahead of time, simply reheat in an oven set at 100C for about 20 minutes. Put the pancakes in when you switch the oven on, DO NOT wait for the oven to heat up first.
Do you want a wine match for these? I am assuming most of my readers do not, especially if you are having these for breakfast. But just in case, I reckon these would go down a treat with a Montbazillac dessert wine. If having these for breakfast, though I suggest a nice cup of tea or coffee! 🙂
Bramley Apple Breakfast Pancakes with Maple Roasted Pecan Nuts
Ingredients
Bramley Apple Breakfast Pancakes
- 400 ml milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 bramley apples peeled and coarsely grated
- 400 g wholewheat self-raising flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Oil or butter for frying
Maple Roasted Pecan Nuts
- 100 g pecan nuts
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup plus extra for drizzling
Method
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Mix together the milk, eggs, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and the grated bramley apple in a jug. Place the flour in a bowl. Slowly stir the wet ingredients into the flour, using a whisk or fork to avoid lumps.
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Turn your oven on to 100C. Put your pecan nuts in a small roasting tin and drizzle over the 4 tablespoons of maple syrup. Stir to coat the pecans in the syrup and then pop in the heating oven. Put a plate in the heating oven too.
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Put a small frying pan on a medium heat, drizzle in a small amount of oil (or a small knob of butter) and leave for 1 minute to come up to temperature.
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Take roughly 50 mls of mixture (roughly a ladle full, two very large spoonfuls, or ¼ cup) and pour it into your frying pan. Fry for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until it bubbles on top, and then flip it over and cook for about 30 seconds on the other side. When the pancake is cooked, pop it on the plate in the oven and repeat the process until you have used up all the batter. This amount of mixture should make about 12 pancakes.
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After the pecan nuts have been in the oven for about 15 minutes, remove them from the oven and carry on doing your pancakes.
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Serve the pancakes decorated with the maple roasted pecans and drizzled with more maple syrup.
Two best things in the Wolrd on one plate!! 🙂
Growing up in Poland I used to eat a loooot of apples… now I don’t do that often enough, there is so many other fruits to choose from but if you ask me what is my favourite fruit it will be an apple.
My mum used to make apple pancakes quite often… we enjoyed them with icing sugar but addition of maple syrup and pecans sounds so much better and healthier.
Aw, thanks Margot…I love apples too. Definitely my favourite fruit. I just love how versatile they are. Apple pancakes are new for me but I can see I’m going to be making them a lot more in the future. The apple/pecan/maple syrup/cinnamon combo really works. It’s amazing how well! Thanks for commenting! Eb x
Thankyou for reminding me about Bramley Apple week! The kids love pancakes for weekend breakfasts.
No worries – I think it’s a great week to celebrate! My kids love pancakes whenever they can get them!! They did particularly like these ones…I think the pecans and the maple syrup helped 🙂 Thanks for commenting! Eb x
Apple pancakes sound like a perfect breakfast. I have a feeling we may be eating lots of pancakes over the next couple of weeks with PD coming up…..Always seems like a good excuse to hit a pancake frenzy. Apple pancakes sound a bit apple-frittery…… almost fits Chinese new year too!! If you cut them into heats, that would be a full house!
Genius! Why did I not think of that? I think I’ve got a heart shaped cutter somewhere…Thanks for commenting 🙂 Eb x
Heart shaped pancakes cooked in a wok – 5 days in 1! There are some days it’s just not possible to combine in a month, I’ve tried to think of a recipe combining cake, curry, porridge and seafood for October but I can’t see it ending well.
I love the sound of these pancakes, perfect for a weekend breakfast (not a chance I’d have time mid-week), I’ll probably stick to a nice cup of tea rather than the wine though!
Ah, yes! I knew there was a way to do it! Thanks Charlotte 😉 Oooh no seafood curry porridge cake sounds vile. But I reckon you could do it in two. Seafood curry is always a winner and I’ve just recently seen a recipe for carrot cake porridge which sound delicious! 🙂 Ha no I didn’t think wine for breakfast was a good idea…but a lovely dessert wine would go very nicely if you had these for pudding. Eb x
Ooh these are just perfect Eb. I love pancakes but I’ve always just made the French crepe style ones. With the Bramley apple and the wholemeal flour these certainly sound perfect for a lazy lovers breakfast come valentine’s day (or any other day for that matter).
Angela x
Mmm these would make a great Valentine’s breakfast wouldn’t they? Especially if they were cut into hearts as per Charlotte and Kate’s suggestion. Sadly, with two small children in the house lazy breakfasts are a thing of the past. 🙁 Eb x
I think a short sleep over at their grandparent’s home would be perfect given that Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year 🙂 All you need now is a heart shaped stencil/cutter.
Angela x
Nice idea…not going to happen though! Mind you I’m sure my kids would be very happy to eat heat shaped pancakes on Sunday…or indeed pancakes in any shape on any day of the week!! Eb x
These look yummy, I’ve only just eaten breakfast but these have made me hungry again!! I am a big fan of apple pancakes and now definitely have to try them with maple roasted pecan nuts on top!
Midgie x
Oh it is a truly fabulous combination. I hope you enjoy it 🙂 Thanks for commenting! Eb x
Great flavours in these pancakes, will have to give them a try
Thanks, Alison – they really are delicious 🙂 Eb x