Chestnut pancakes

Surely many of you have heard of the traditional American pancakes , although here we usually talk about pancakes or pancakes . It is a kind of flat and sweet bread, or you can also see them as a small diameter and thicker crêpe.

The truth is that pancakes are a very easy resource to make, perfect for breakfast or snacks, and they are spectacular accompanied by jam, syrup or cream. Even more so with this recipe for chestnut pancakes brought to us by Rosa, author of Pemberley Cup&Cakes , which accompanies another luxury ingredient that we all have at home, honey. I leave you with her:

Wow, another year that goes straight to the album of memories and one ready to launch. Each beginning is a new opportunity to discover and try everything that we had been left in the dark, that had resisted us or simply that the opportunity had never presented itself.

However, it is easy to agree with the fact that it is not necessary to set ourselves great feats or purposes that end up being almost unattainable. The small daily conquests are, most of the time, the ones that give us the most satisfaction, especially since we can enjoy them and also share them almost at the moment. Like these chestnut pancakes or pancakes, which are almost effortless thanks to how gratifying it is to cook with the Le Creuset cast iron skillet , make any breakfast a special occasion and, of course, make it a real pleasure.

And having said this, do not tell me that this is not a good way to start the day, the year and everything we set out to do. At home we have all loved them, especially accompanied by a generous dose of rosemary honey . Simply sublime. You will try them, right?

Skillet Le Creuset pan and Mellarius rosemary honey

Ingredients (for 10-12 pancakes, depending on size)

(All ingredients must be at room temperature, unless otherwise indicated)

• 200g of loose wheat flour
• 45g (3 tablespoons) white sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons chemical yeast (Royal type)
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs (L)
• 240 ml of milk
• 30g unsalted butter, melted and warm to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 125g chestnut puree ( see "Notes" below )
• Unsalted butter or release spray , for greasing

Elaboration

1. In a large bowl we sift the flour with a sieve , 1 tablespoon (15gr) of the sugar, the chemical yeast, the baking soda, the spices and the salt and mix well with a few rods until completely combined. We booked.
2. Next, we separate the yolks from the whites (reserve the yolks) and begin to mount the whites with the rods at medium speed. As soon as they acquire a slightly firm consistency, although still somewhat soft, add the remaining 2 tablespoons (approx. 30g) of sugar gradually and without stopping beating. Once all the sugar has been added, we increase to high speed and continue mounting the egg whites until a slightly firmer consistency is achieved, but without drying them out. We also book.
3. In a separate large bowl, mix the yolks, milk, melted butter (already warm to room temperature), vanilla extract and chestnut puree with the whisk until a creamy and uniform texture is achieved.
4. Next, we add the previous mixture of wet ingredients (point 3) to the mixture of dry ingredients that we had reserved (point 1) and, with the help of a silicone spatula , we mix just enough until everything is more or less integrated.
5. Finally, we add the whipped egg whites (point 2) to the previous mixture very gently, using enveloping movements with the spatula to avoid ruining the volume achieved.
6. Once the mixture is ready, we preheat our skillet over medium heat and lightly grease it with a pinch of butter or release spray (a step that we will repeat after each batch).
7. We drop about 60 – 80ml of dough (depending on the size chosen) in the skillet pan , trying to make it circular, and let it brown on one side (a couple of minutes approx.) before turning around with the help of a flat silicone spatula to brown on the other side (1-2 minutes). The first pancake is not usually one of the best, but you will see that the second one turns out great.
8. We serve our pancakes still hot (directly in the same skillet is a perfect option), with a generous portion of honey; that of rosemary , as I was saying, is simply quite a spectacle.

Le Creuset Bowl , Le Creuset Skillet Frying Pan , and Mellarius Rosemary Honey

Grades

If you prefer to use the homemade chestnut puree instead of the commercial version, you will need:

• 500g of chestnuts
• 55g butter
• 120ml of whole milk
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

1. Make a small incision in the skin of the chestnuts with a very sharp knife , place them in a wide saucepan well covered with water and let them cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat (or about 10 minutes in the microwave at maximum power).
2. Drain and let cool until you can handle them without burning.
3. While they cool, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until it acquires a deeper golden hue.
4. Peel the chestnuts, place them, together with the hot milk and the melted and slightly toasted butter, in the blender and blend finely until obtaining a creamy and uniform consistency (if it is too thick, we can add 1-2 tablespoons of milk until you get the desired texture).
5. Season to taste and store refrigerated in an airtight glass jar until use.

If you need to reheat your chestnut pancakes, do not hesitate to put them in the toaster for a couple of minutes. Almost like freshly made!

So, happy new year and a hug loaded with my best wishes to all.

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