Gingerbread Pancakes with Coconut Yoghurt and Mulled Fruit Compote

Pancake - Dry

• 225 g organic buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch baking soda
• pinch sea salt

Pancake - Wet

• 1 flax egg 1 tbsp flaxseed meal or ground raw flaxseed with 3 tbsp water
• 300 ml non sweetened dairy free milk oat or coconut works well
• 4 tbsp black treacle
• 3 tbsp organic coconut oil melted

Compote

• 450 g mixed red & black fruits e.g. blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, red currants, plums, cherries*
• 1 1 organic Granny Smith apple
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 1 inch Fresh Ginger sliced in half
• 4 cardamom pods crushed
• 2 cloves
• Juice 2 large organic oranges peel the zest into strips from one
• zest ½ organic lemon
• 4 tbsp tart apple juice, cold pressed organic

    Make the compote.

1. Place the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, ginger, orange and apple juice in a small saucepan. Add a splash of water and gently heat to a simmer to allow the flavours to infuse.
2. Quarter and core the apple and slice the quarters. Add the apple, berries and zests into the pan, put a lid on and continue to gently simmer letting the fruit to break down and the mix to thicken, approximately 15-20 minutes (stir regularly to prevent the fruit catching, add a little water if too much liquid evaporates away).
3. Remove the spices and strips of zest, taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice if too sweet.
4. If you’re not using the compote straight away, allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. For best results make the day before to let the flavours intensify.

For the pancakes.

1. Make the flax egg, whisk the flaxseed and water thoroughly and leave to thicken for 5 minutes.
2. Beat the wet ingredients (including the flax egg) together in a small bowl.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Create a well in the middle and beat in half the wet ingredients to create a smooth thick batter. Whisk in the remaining wet ingredients until just combined (this encourages a lighter pancake).
4. Leave the batter for 15 – 30 minutes (for the raising agents to create air pockets).
5. Heat a large frying pan on a medium heat and add enough coconut oil to lightly cover the base of the pan.
6. Pour a small ladle’s worth of batter into the centre of the pan and lift the pan in a circulation action to spread the batter and flatten into a round pancake.
7. When bubbles start to appear and the edge of the batter has set, flip the pancake over. Cook for another 1 minute for the underneath to go golden brown.
8. Transfer to a baking tray and keep warm in a cool oven (140C/275F/Gas Mark 1) whilst you continue to cook the remainder of the batter.

Making ahead? The pancake batter can hold for a couple of hours before frying, place non PVC cling film directly onto the surface of the batter mix to prevent a skin forming and a lumpy batter later. Don’t hold for too long otherwise the raising agents will stop working and the pancakes will be flat. By Francesca Klottrup, Natural Chef Course Leader, for the College of Naturopathic Medicine https://www.naturopathy.ie/natural-chef-cooking-course/