Sometimes you need a show stopper at brunch. Normally, I would not think of pancakes as anything like a show stopper, but when they are infused with ginger and there are golden-kissed slices of pear in the center of them, it's hard not to have oohs and aahs at the table. When was the last time you saw something like this on your plate at brunch:
Now, making these is a little fussy, in that you need to carefully flip them or the pears will fall apart. If you want a simpler option, chop the pears and include them in the batter. The amazing flavor will be the same. However, the wide eyes when they are delivered to the table might be slightly less wide. When I made them, I chose to make half of them with the whole pear slices and the other half with chopped pears. Both were simply delicious.
I was asked if cinnamon could be added to the batter and the answer is yes, but it will make darker pancakes and, especially if you want to use the large sliced sections of pear, the batter as it is described here looks really perfect with the cooked pear. I'd save the cinnamon for a chopped pear version in which showcasing the shape of the fruit isn't a concern.
And now, with the start of fantastic fresh produce season on hand, I'm looking forward to doing the same with sliced berries, peaches, plums, and more. It's going to be a very delicious spring! Aren't you looking forward to enjoying them at your table, too?
Ginger-Pear Pancakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk*
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 pears, sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch sections
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Add the buttermilk, egg, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and the ginger; whisk until smooth.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat or a griddle until hot. Carefully place one or two pear sections (depending on the size of your pan or griddle) onto the hot surface and pour just enough batter over the sections to cover them. When bubbles appear and burst on the surface (about 3 minutes), flip the pancakes; cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until the underside is golden brown. Remove to a plate and keep them warm until you are ready to serve them. Serve them with butter and warm maple syrup.
* If you don’t have buttermilk, add 2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup milk and let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, without stirring.
- Yields: 12-15 pancakes
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes