Pecan Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Caramel

Pecan Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Caramel // The Sugar Hit

 

Never not putting pecans in my pancakes again. Now THAT is a fun sentence to say, it’s got a double negative, and some sassy alliteration. If that’s not wild Friday night party linguistics, then I don’t know what is.

 

But we’re here to talk pancakes, not participles. So, to the stack. The PECAN pancake stack. Soft, fluffy, thick buttermilk pancakes studded with crunchy pecans for your Saturday brunch? Yesssss please.

 

Pecan Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Caramel // The Sugar Hit

 

And though pecan and maple is pretty much a match made in heaven, I’ve decided that this weekend we all ought to treat ourselves. So I think you need to try this Vanilla Maple Caramel. But ONLY if you love having your mind blown.

 

Because, FYI, when you take a little bit of sugar, cook it to a dark amber, and then add a splash of cream, some vanilla bean paste and a healthy dash of Maple syrup, you get something pretty damn special.

 

Pecan Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Caramel // The Sugar Hit

 

The complex, dark, sweet sauce is floral with vanilla and smoky with maple. It’s the perfect partner to these pecan-studded pancakes. And as much as I love a chunk of butter on my shortstack, with this decadent sauce, even I happily go without.

 

With any luck you might have a pancake or two and a drip of this sauce leftover, in which case I highly recommend, nay I insist, that you make a midnight pancake sundae. You will not regret it.

 

Pecan Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Caramel // The Sugar Hit

 

I do like to add a little unorthodox sprinkle of salt (along with a scattering of extra pecans) on top of these pancakes. Because I am nothing if not slavishly addicted to salted caramel in all it’s forms.

 

But my eccentric tastes aside, this is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. With some fresh strawberries on the side, and maybe a smoothie or a cup of black coffee, I really can’t think of a better lazy Saturday morning brunch! And even though I can’t stand bananas, I can see that a few slices of that yellow demon would be appreciated here by many. I’m sorry I just really hate bananas.

 

Pecan Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Caramel // The Sugar Hit

 

Well, the week’s over and now we all have our Saturday breakfast sorted! Here’s the plan: after pancakes we all hit up a local bookstore and pick up a few volumes, and then turn off our phones and find a comfy chair to relax in for the next 48 hours.

 

Or at least that’s my plan anyway! I’m reading Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking (again) and I’m waiting for my copy of Tamar Adler’s The Everlasting Meal (thanks to this rad interview) and I think you should all read Michelle’s post (especially if you’re a blogger) because it was fascinating and she’s great. Peace, love and pancakes.

 

xx Sarah.

 

Pecan Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Caramel // The Sugar Hit

Pecan Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Caramel
 
Pecan Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Caramel sauce
Author:
Serves: Serves 2-3
Ingredients
For the pancakes:
  • 1 cup (150g) plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarb soda
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup (250ml) buttermilk
  • ½ cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 oz (25g) butter
For the sauce:
  • ⅓ cup (75g) caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp cream
  • ¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Instructions
  1. For the pancakes, place the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix to combine. Crack in the egg and pour in the buttermilk, and stir to combine - don't worry about lumps.
  2. In a large frying pan, melt the butter, and then pour it into the pancake batter. Stir to combine.
  3. Now, cook the pancakes in the same pan, over a medium-low heat. They should be in about 2tbsp sized dollops, and need 2 minutes a side, or until golden brown and cooked through. You should get about 12 pancakes.
  4. For the sauce, place the sugar and the water into a small, deep saucepan and cook until dark amber, without serving. Remove from the heat and add the cream and maple syrup. BE CAREFUL, because this will bubble up and steam and sputter a lot.
  5. Stir until it calms down, and then place it back on the heat and cook for a minute until smooth and combined. Stir in the vanilla, and set aside.
  6. Serve the pancakes with the sauce and BOOM - perfect brunch.
 

Pecan Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Caramel // The Sugar Hit

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