Pumpkin Pancake Pleasure

Nothing can beat lazy saturday morning pancakes while mulling through thoughts of the hardworked week, burying your face in the paper and a steaming coffee Being a forward thinker, I see it as the time in the weekend where you have the most possible time left in the weekend. Sort of ! Mine however involves a painful alarm and leaving a house filled with happy (because they are still sleeping as they should be) friends to get to work before smug weekend-happy civilions arrive. You'll often find me peering over the coffee machine becoming bitter at the sight of their smirks. Spiced french toast, waffles,fresh bread, pastries, salty crisp bacon and fresh fruits surround me and entertain the nose, all for me to graciously deliver. Some days it really can get me down, until I remember that I am just as much a part of this experience as they are. I am here to create and serve the things I care so much about while relationships develop and weekends begin. So as Easter is here I have decided that I too will begin my weekend in a nonchalant manner.

I have risen to the occasion this long weekend (easter pun there) and am celebrating the first of the autumn harvest. The first time I ever delved into the pumpkin universe where it wasn't just served next to my roast lamb was in Byron Bay where I found my orange friend in my pancakes. Result? It was sweet, fluffy and the perfect pal for the temporamental cinnamon. These are the ultimate autumly pancakes with pumpkins ready for picking and trees heavy with pears.

Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes with Maple Roasted Pears -

Serves 2

Ingredients -

1 cup Flour
3/4 teaspoons Baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 large free range eggs
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 pears (halved and cored)
Maple syrup

To serve -
1/2 cup fresh ricotta or semi whipped cream
walnuts


Method

Preheat oven to 200 bake. In a baking dish halve and core the pears and drizzle a little maple syrup skin side up over the pears. Bake in the oven (will take around 20 mins)

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg into a medium-sized bowl. Add the brown sugar, stir to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, milk and vanilla extract. Then add the pumpkin and whisk well.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and whisk until just combined.
Set frypan over a medium heat and add a little butter and pour about 1/3 cup of mixture
allow the pancakes to cook until you see bubbles form on the surface. this can take less than a minute, then flip. Allow to cook on the other side for 30-45 seconds more.
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a small baking dish and store in the oven to keep warm while you make the remaining pancakes. Continue to check,turn and reglaze the pears every 5-10mins during cooking.

Serve in a small stack topped with the roasted pears, semi whipped cream, maple syrup and walnuts.

I hope the easter break is treating you well and any weight that life can load on us is lifted in remembering the meaning of this time.
I'm sorry for the delay in post's. I have recently had foot surgery which has kept me out of my natural habitat of the kitchen and garden. But the moon boot is on and I'm ready to attack the autumn haul. Mushroom's next I'm thinking
Al xx

p.s. To make buttermilk just put some cream in a jar and shake till it separates. The liquid is what you want to use and the remaining is fresh homemade butter.