One of the most classic of all food combinations is chocolate and raspberries. They seem to be naturally designed to complement one another and each makes the other better. We usually think of chocolate for dessert, but how about starting off your day with some of the most decadent and delicious pancakes you’ve ever had. Add raspberry syrup and life is truly good!
If you love buttermilk pancakes, you will love the reaction of the chocolate in these pancakes. Did you know that chocolate is naturally acidic and that its acid is what reacts with the self-rising flour to make them light and fluffy? And you thought science couldn’t be fun!
Raspberries are great to keep in the freezer. They can be turned into this syrup or a host of other products that boost an ordinary meal and make it something special. Try combining them with fresh raspberries and you get beautiful texture and freshness that pairs perfectly with the sweetness.
Pancakes should be one of the easiest things to make, but a lot of people struggle with them. Using some tricks will really help you…
Use a Griddle: A nonstick griddle makes the most perfect pancakes you can imagine. After many years of struggling with typical skillets, I switched to a griddle and immediately became a hero of breakfast.
A Ladle Rocks: There are many gadgets sold to portion out batters, but a good old-fashioned ladle is the easiest way to go. You will get evenly shaped and sized pancakes that all cook at the same rate.
Preheat the Pan: You pan needs to be fully preheated so that the pancakes will cook evenly, but not so hot that they burn before cooking all the way through. Preheat the pan on medium-high heat and then once it is fully heated, turn the heat down slightly.
Use a little Oil: You may want to try to reduce your use of fats in your overall diet, but pancakes are not the place to do it. A little oil in the pan will crisp the edges, giving them a wonderful textural component that is unexpected.
Glass of raspberry syrup
Leave them Alone: This is probably the most important aspect of cooking pancakes. Once the batter hits the pan, don’t touch it until the top is completely covered with bubbles and the edges are dry looking and slightly colored.
Flip Once: When they are ready to flip, loosen them if needed and in one smooth motion, flip them over so the uncooked side is down. And once again, don’t move them until they are done. Flipping them back and forth winds up deflating the cakes and they will become tougher.
A Thin Spatula is a Must: If you are struggling to get your spatula under the edge of the pancakes, you need to get one that has a sloped edge – where it is thinner at the edge than in the middle.
Pancakes are best when made to order, but if you make them ahead, place them on a baking sheet and keep them in a low oven. Do not stack them or they will steam and lose their crispiness.
If you are serving these with whipped cream, you can whip the cream ahead and keep it in the refrigerator while you make the pancakes. Take a whisk to it if it has separated a little to bring it back together. For a fancy presentation, place the whipped cream in a piping bag with a star tip and pipe it into beautiful dollops. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips and fresh berries over the top and everyone will be thrilled.
This raspberry syrup is versatile. It is equally delicious on regular pancakes and waffles as well as served over ice cream. You could use it as a dipping sauce for cookies too. Get creative and let me know what other uses you have for this delicious syrup!
The holidays are nearly here and your home will soon be filled with friends and family. Having a few recipes like this ready to go will make it much less stressful for you and a lot of fun for your guests!
Enjoy your Chocolate Monday!
This raspberry syrup is just as delicious on regular pancakes too!
- Syrup
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Pancakes
- 1 cup self rising flour (or use all-purpose flour and add 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp milk
- Optional Toppings
- Freshly whipped cream, lightly sweetened
- Chocolate chips
- Fresh, ripe raspberries (if in season)
- Make the Syrup: Combine the raspberries, water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to medium-low and cook until reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- If you want you can strain out the seeds - use a wire sieve set over a bowl. Pour in the syrup and stir gently with a spoon, pressing the liquid through the sieve. Scrape the seeds out and discard.
- Make the Pancakes: In a large mixing bowl, combined the self-rising flour, sugar and cocoa. Whisk to blend. Add the egg and milk and whisk just until combined. A few lumps are fine.
- Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 to 2 tsp oil, if desired. Pour in batter, reduce heat to medium and cook until bubbles appear over the entire top of the pancake before flipping. Cook until second side is nicely browned.
- Serve hot topped with the raspberry syrup. If you want you can also serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of chocolate chips and some fresh berries if they are available.
- For those who like the more traditional maple syrup, it is just as delicious as the raspberry syrup with these pancakes. I like to offer both and sometimes use a little of each!
Thank You!
Dana at Cooking At Cafe D
Seriously – those look amazing.
I’m off to Pin them on Pinterest @cookingatcafed
I really like the combination of chocolate and raspberry. I like chocolate and orange even better and I might try to adapt the recipe a bit and try it. (Choc and orange was even my wedding cake.)
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
~
Katrina
Ooh, that looks delicious to me!