BUCKWHEAT PANCAKE MIX

This is the recipe that I use to make up several weeks supply of pancake mix. Just store it in a good plastic container that is air tight and keep the temperature of it below 72°F and it will keep for several weeks. If you are going to store it longer than that, you might want to split it up into zip lock bags and keep it in the freezer. When the mix is frozen, no special steps have to be taken to use it. Just mix it up like it had been setting on your kitchen counter.

Ingredients

4 cups Whole wheat flour
4 cups Unbleached wheat flour
2 cups Buckwheat flour
1 cup Corn flour
1 cup Oat flour
3/4 cup Amaranth flour
48 Tbsp Dry buttermilk powder (this is 3 cups) *
6 Tbsp Baking powder
4 tsp Baking soda *
3 Tbsp Sugar (Makes the pancakes brown easier while baking)

* You may leave these two items out if you cannot find the buttermilk powder. It will not hurt the recipe at all. I find buttermilk powder at Safeways near the canned milk

Directions

Place all of the above ingredients in a container large enough to hold them. (Don't put any liquids in, just the dry stuff.) A large plastic bag works really well for this and the kids can have a grand time shaking the bag to mix everything together.

When you get ready to mix up the pancakes for breakfast,(We eat them for dinner sometimes also) use about ½ to 3/4 of a cup of dry mix for every person that you are going to feed. It depends on how hungry they are. I will give a typical mix recipe for three people and you can increase or decrease it as you like. The mix ratios seem to hold for any size batch.

Directions for mixing

2 cups Dry pancake mix
1 ea Eggs
1½ cup Milk
1-2 Tbsp Oil

Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl large enough to contain it. Add the milk, oil and egg. Stir the mix just enough to wet the mix thoroughly, but don't worry about any small lumps. If the mix seems a little dry, add a little more milk to the mix. It should be the consistency of heavy cream. It will thicken a little as it sets due to hydration of the flour and may need to be thinned also.

Pre-heat the griddle on a medium low heat setting and when a water drop placed on the griddle skitters around, the griddle is ready to bake on. You should pour enough batter to make the pancakes 4 to 6 inches across. Cook the pancakes slowly. When the surface is covered with bubbles and the edges look slightly dry, turn them over and cook them to a golden brown.

If you want light and tender pancakes, they must be cooked slowly, about 2 to 4 minutes on the first side, and until golden brown on the other side. If the outside gets too dark or black before the inside is done, the fire and griddle are too hot. Turn the heat down and cook at a lower temperature. If the bubbles break before you turn the pancakes, (don't worry, some will always break) they won't be as light. Serve these hot with a good warm fruit compote or a fruit syrup that you make on the stove.

FRUIT SYRUP

This syrup may be made with fresh, frozen or canned fruit. The three versions are similar, but there is enough difference so that each version will be done separately below.

FRESH FRUIT VERSION

16 ozs Fresh Fruit
½ to 1 cup Brown sugar (White may be used with good results)
½ cup Water
½ tsp Corn starch
Touch of nutmeg or cinnamon to taste.
Don't use too much or you will overpower the fruit taste.

Directions:
Select a cooking pan large enough to hold the fruit and water. This should be a pan that can be used on the stove top. Put the sugar, spices and corn starch in the pan and mix the dry ingredients. Add the water and stir to mix all together. Heat until the water boils and reduce the heat to simmer for two minutes. Add the fruit and heat until the juice come to the serving temperature, but don't boil.

Microwave:
Put all of the dry ingredients in a microwave oven safe bowl and stir to mix. Add the water and stir to mix. Heat on high and stop to stir every minute until the mixture is clear and has thickened. Add the fruit and heat on high until heated to serving temperature.

FROZEN FRUIT VERSION

16 ozs Frozen fruit
½ to 1 cup Brown sugar (White will work)
½ cup Water (Don't use this if you are doing this in a microwave oven)
½ tsp Corn starch
Touch of nutmeg or cinnamon to taste.
Don't use too much or you will overpower the fruit taste.

Directions:
If you are doing the syrup on the stove, mix all of the dry ingredients in the pan, add the water, stir and heat to boiling. After it boils, reduce the heat and let it simmer for two minutes. Add the fruit and heat until the syrup reaches the serving temperature, but don't boil.

Microwave:
Put all of the dry ingredients in a microwave oven safe bowl and stir to mix. Add the fruit and stir to mix. Heat on high and stop to stir gently every minute until the mixture is clear and has thickened.

CANNED FRUIT VERSION

16 ozs Frozen fruit
½ to 1 cup Brown sugar (White will work)
½ cup Fruit juice from the can
½ tsp Corn starch
Touch of nutmeg or cinnamon to taste.
Don't use too much or you will overpower the fruit taste.

Directions:
Select a cooking pan large enough to hold the fruit and juice. This should be a pan that can be used on the stove. Put the sugar, spices and corn starch in the pan and mix the dry ingredients. Add the fruit juice and stir to mix all together. Heat until the juice boils and reduce the heat to simmer for two minutes. Add the fruit and heat until the syrup comes to the serving temperature, but don't boil.

Microwave:
Put all of the dry ingredients in a microwave oven safe bowl and stir to mix. Add the juice and stir to mix. Heat on high and stop to stir every minute until the mixture is clear and has thickened. Add the fruit and heat on high until heated to serving temperature.

Please send comments to comments@acaciart.com