Pancakes in Strawberry Sauce
This is a recipe I often make for a healthy breakfast. It's quick and easy and cuts out lots of unwanted calories by using a fruit sauce instead of drowning fluffy pancakes in syrup.
This is a recipe I often make for a healthy breakfast. It's quick and easy and cuts out lots of unwanted calories by using a fruit sauce instead of drowning fluffy pancakes in syrup.
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1 - strawberry sauce - 1
- 16 oz strawberries cleaned and quartered
- 2 tb pure maple syrup or 2 tb honey
- 1 1 - pancakes - 1
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk or 1 cup nonfat milk + 1 tb lemon
- 1/2 cup nonfat milk
- 1 tb honey
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Carbohydrate 84.233921875 g
- Cholesterol 214.5625 mg
- Fat 7.12407625 g
- Fiber 8.58803119014949 g
- Protein 20.252891875 g
- Saturated Fat 2.14389875 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (353g)
- Sodium 608.244875 mg
- Sugar 75.6458906848505 g
- Trans Fat 1.325737 g
- Calories 469 calories
Step-by-step
- Puree strawberries in to a chunky puree. Heat them in a small saucepan over a low flame, until they are just warm. Stir in lemon juice and maple syrup.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through salt). In another medium bowl, beat together the eggs, nonfat milk, buttermilk (or substitute), honey and vanilla.
- Preheat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over a medium-low flame. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to combine them. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup pour the batter onto the griddle or skillet.
- When pancakes are ready ladle about 1/3 cup of the strawberry sauce onto each plate and place pancakes on top.
Flour Blending Mechanics
Combining all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour balances gluten strength against crumb tenderness. Whole wheat pastry flour contains less protein than standard whole wheat, preventing a dense texture. Sifting the dry components ensures even distribution of the 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
Acid-Base Leavening
Buttermilk and lemon juice provide the necessary acid to activate the baking soda. This reaction releases carbon dioxide bubbles into the batter, producing an airy interior when heated on a medium-low griddle. Mixing the wet ingredients into the dry items just until combined preserves these trapped gases. Overmixing develops excess gluten, yielding tough results.
Fruit Sauce Interaction
Heating quartered strawberries over a low flame breaks down cell walls to release natural pectin and juices without destroying fresh fruit brightness. Pureeing the berries first creates a chunky consistency that clings to the plate. Swapping buttermilk for nonfat milk plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice maintains the required acidity for proper leavening.
