Buttermilk Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup

Buttermilk makes these pancakes light and fluffy. Add fresh blueberries to the batter for double-berry flavor, or use them as a garnish for the pancakes. Cherry or other berry syrups would also be a lovely accompaniment to this classic breakfast treat.

 

Buttermilk Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup

 

2 eggs

2 cup s(10 oz./315 g.) all-purpose flour

2 Tbs. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml.) buttermilk

4 Tbs. (2 oz./60 g.) unsalted butter, melted

1 or 2 Tbs. canola oil

Blueberry Syrup for serving (recipe follows)

 

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place an ovenproof platter in the oven.

 

In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk and melted butter. Continue to beat just until the mixture is smooth; do not overbeat.

 

Heat a heavy frying pan over high heat until it is hot enough for a few drops of water to sizzle and then immediately evaporate. Brush the pan with oil. Pour about 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml.) of the batter onto the hot surface. Cook until the surface is covered with tiny bubbles, the batter is set, the underside is browned, and the edges look dry, about 2 minutes. Turn the pancake and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to the platter in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

 

Serve the pancakes hot, passing the syrup at the table. Makes 12 6-inch (15-cm.) pancakes; serves 4.

 

Blueberry Syrup

 

This syrup also goes well with crepes or slices of coffee cake or plain pound cake. You can leave the blueberries in for a more rustic whole fruit syrup. If straining the syrup, use a coarse sieve, rather than a fine-mesh one, for a slightly thicker result.

 

6 cups (1 1/2 lb./750 g.) blueberries

1 1/2 cups (12 oz./375 g.) sugar

1 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest (optional)

3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

 

In a nonreactive saucepan, stir together the blueberries, sugar and lemon zest, if using. Add 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml.) water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries are plump and some have burst, about 10 minutes.

 

Transfer the blueberry mixture to a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and press on the solids with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. For an even finer consistency, line the sieve with cheesecloth. Return to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring, until a light, syrupy consistency, 2-5 minutes. The sauce with thicken slightly when cooled; stop cooking when it has a slightly thinner consistency than you might like. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve or ladle into jars and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes 3 half-pint (8-fl. oz./250-ml.) jars.

 

NOTE: You can also process the jars of syrup to keep them longer. Just ladle the hot syrup into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch (6 mm.) of headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims clean and seal tightly with the lids. Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. The sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

 

 

Lavender-Blueberry Syrup: Add 3 Tbs. dried or 1/3 cup (3/4 oz./20 g.) fresh pesticide-free lavender flowers to the blueberries, sugar and water.

 

Orange-Blueberry Syrup: Substitute the same amount of finely chopped orange zest and fresh orange juice for the lemon zest and juice.

 

Find more great recipes for fruit preserves, pickles and more in our cookbook The Art of Preserving, by Rick Field, Lisa Atwood & Rebecca Courchesne.