I was going to write a blog post about how I don’t like my job anymore and maybe never did, how I make laughably dumb mistakes (bringing flip-chart markers to write on a whiteboard tops the list), and how I feel like I’m going backwards on the career progression ladder by being an admin assistant (again). But that wouldn’t be very fun to read, nor would it help me feel good about how I spend 35 hours of the week, which is the ultimate goal, right?
So instead, here’s a pancake recipe. This one’s a winner (which I could have predicted as soon as I saw cocoa in the ingredient list. And because I’m feeling generous, I’ll follow it with a (British) flapjack recipe for comparison. Those were a hit at the office this week. Probably because the main ingredient is butter. To clarify: American flapjacks are thick pancakes, and British flapjacks are basically thick squishy granola bars.
Warning: these recipes contain coconut because I just bought a lifetime supply at the Indian grocery store. You can omit if you hate it, but we can’t be friends if you do.
Cocoa-nut Flapjacks
Adapted from this.
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup mineral water (the fizzy stuff)
- 1/2 cup flour (I used this gluten-free brown bread mix that I love)
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut (un-sweetened and finely ground)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (use the Dutch-processed dark stuff)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat your temperamental electric hob to slightly-too-hot (medium-high for normal stovetops).
Mix dry ingredients together with a fork. Add butter, vanilla, and milk; lightly mix again.
Add a tablespoon or so of butter to your pan and let it melt, swirling it around with a spatula. When drops of water sizzle in the skillet, lower heat to medium.
Add a little sparkling water (makes pancakes fluffy!) to thin the batter a bit; then and add scoops of batter to the pan. I can get about 3 small pancakes in my 12″ skillet. Cook for approx. 3 minutes, or until the edges look dry, then flip and cook for 2 additional minutes. Transfer to a plate and make your second batch.
Serve with a variety of toppings (John had peanut butter and honey, I had greek yogurt/black currant jam/more coconut).
White chocolate coconut flapjacks (the British version)
Adapted from this, and converted into NORMAL (read: American) measurements.
- 1/2 cup butter (yes, really. Suck it up, and use a decent organic/grass-fed type like Kerrygold to help you feel better about this decision)
- 2 tablespoons granulated (caster) sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups quick oats, or porridge oats to use the adorable UK terminology
- cinnamon, sea salt
- 100 g bar of white chocolate
- about 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
In a large glass bowl, melt the butter and sugar together in the microwave (about 40 seconds on high). Stir in the honey, vanilla, and oats. Microwave on high for about 3 minutes, stopping to stir after 2.
Spread mixture on the bottom of a lightly greased 8″ x 4″ glass baking dish. Top with cinnamon, a little sea salt, and sprinkle with coconut. Press mixture down firmly with the back of a spoon.
Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in the microwave, stopping to stir every few seconds. When the pieces are almost all melted, it’s likely to be ready (you don’t want burnt chocolate). Stir some more. Spread chocolate on top of oat mixture and cover the dish. Let cool, then move to refrigerator for overnight firming up. When ready to cut/serve, it helps to let the dish come back to room temp. Slice into whatever sizes you’d like, and enjoy.
Clea Writes 