Apple & Oat Pancakes with Hazelnut Syrup
At the moment, this is my go-to pancake recipe. A simple but delicious batter that comes together easily. I especially like using applesauce as an alternative to mashed bananas which are common in many vegan pancake recipes.
Unsweetened applesauce can be found in supermarkets but you can also make your own. Simply peel and dice roughly 500g/ 1lb of apples and add them to a pan with a splash of water. Cook over a low heat until the apples are completely soft and squishy. Then either use a potato masher or a food processor to create a smooth-ish applesauce. Stir in 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar and then completely cool before storing in the fridge. This will make more than enough for a few batches of pancakes plus it is delicious stirred into yogurt or porridge.
The hazelnut syrup is also a must try. Dare I say it is possibly more delicious than simply just having maple syrup!
APPLE & OAT PANCAKES WITH MAPLE HAZELNUT SYRUP
makes 8-10 pancakes • 20-30 minutes
for hazelnut syrup:
80g / ⅓ cup hazelnut butter
80ml / ⅓ cup maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
good pinch of salt
PLUS other toppings of your choice
for pancake batter:
100g / 1 cup fine porridge oats
140g / 1 cup spelt or plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
140g / ½ cup unsweetened applesauce*
2 tbsp rapeseed or neutral oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
250ml / 1 cup oat milk
In a large bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, bicarb of soda, salt and set aside.
In a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the remaining wet ingredients. Combine by pouring the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk together. Make sure everything is fully mixed and there are no large lumps of flour. Let the pancake mix rest for at least 30 minutes before using. You can make it the night before and let it rest in the fridge overnight.
Before you start frying off the pancakes, make the hazelnut syrup. Add the ingredients to a small saucepan along with 80ml / ⅓ cup of water. Gently melt and whisk everything together over a low heat. Without letting it boil, continue to whisk and allow the mix to thicken slightly. After a minute or so, remove from the heat and allow to cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
When you are ready to cook your pancakes, heat a non-stick frying pan on medium heat; because there is oil in the batter you shouldn’t need to oil the pan. Once hot, drop a spoon of batter (about ¼ cup) into the pan. Let it fry for about a minute or so until you start to see bubbles forming on top of the pancake. Using a spatula, flip the pancake and let it cook for another minute. Transfer to a plate and cover with a tea towel to keep warm. Continue to make pancakes until you run out of batter.
To serve, stack the pancakes before drizzling over the hazelnut syrup and serving with your favourite seasonal fruits.