Recipe: Orange cinnamon vanilla pancakes
Okay, so the other night I noticed we have oranges in the fridge. Going through a major lemon zest phase, I decided to throw a bunch of nonsense in a bowl with some orange juice and orange zest and whatnot and see what happened. I just made my second batch and actually measured this time, and this is the result: orange cinnamon vanilla pancakes. You should know going in that you can adjust the sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and probably even the orange to taste, so don't feel like you need to follow this precisely. Also, KEEP THE DAMN ORANGE PEELS. DON'T THROW THEM AWAY UNTIL YOU'RE DONE. Carry on.
Anyways, this recipe might look a bit daunting, but it's really really easy to make, and it turns out really yummy! I hope you'll try it and let me know what you think!
1 cup flour
1/2-3/4 cups sugar (really depends on taste)
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 orange
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
OPTIONAL (but awesome if you can afford it): ~1/2 inch vanilla bean, cut open (use the insidey part, not the outsidey part; more on this later)
So first you mix the flour, the sugar, the cinnamon, and the salt. Adjust sugar and cinnamon to taste, and remember that the orange will add a bit of sweetness. If you're going to use vanilla bean, now's probably the best time to add it, and I'll tell you how.
Vanilla bean can be stupid expensive, hence the "optional" label, but it adds a bit of variety and a stronger vanilla flavor. If you're gonna use it, there are different ways to use it, but I cut it open lengthwise (just the half inch part you're using, of course!) and scoop out the darker brown bits inside, like those bits you see in ice cream. Just dump it in, and mix it in with all the other dry ingredients!
Now, if you're feeling really pretentious, or you just really love complicated cooking, you can sift the dry ingredients together! Wasn't that fun?!
So then you're gonna pour in the milk, the egg, and the vanilla extract (which can also be adjusted if you're extremely pro- or anti-vanilla). Stirring time! Really, any time you want, you can stir. We're chill here. Now we get to the most exciting part of this recipe: THE ORANGE. Note: you do NOT throw away ANY part of that orange until I tell you. Keep that in mind.
Everyone know what a juicer looks like? Not a proper one, a ghetto one. Okay, check this out. If this thing here:
looks at all familiar, you probably have a juicer. Just cut the orange in half and kind of mash the halves onto that anal plug-lookin' thing and rotate and squeeze and go to town. If you're rich and you have a real juicer that does the work for you, fuck you, and carry on. (I'm kidding. I LOVE YOU GUYS!)
So, you've got your orange juice, and you've got your orange peels. Still got them? GOOD. First thing's first: strain that juice before you pour it into your batter, unless you have a boner for pulpy pancakes. Feel free to toss the pulp, seeds, etc.
Now we're (YES, WE'RE. I'M THERE IN SPIRIT.) gonna zest those orange peels. Zest? The fuck is this madness?! Easy there, chef. Know that grater that looks like it would make really skinny cheese for pizza, but you never actually use it? HERE'S YOUR CHANCE!
Or really any grater with tiny holes. There's also another kind of zester that looks like this:
But I figure if you own that, you probably know how to zest anyways. Also, I don't know how to use one.
ANYWAYS. To get orange zest, grate off the orange part of the peels. Once you get down into the white part, which will happen fairly quickly, move to another spot. Zest for as long as you can stand (that shit gets boring), being careful not to add finger zest, and dump however much you want into the batter. One last stir, and you have the batter!
Now comes the part that I can never do. Cook the pancakes competently. One day I'll figure out that part. For now, I find enlisting a parent or a friend works quite well. Bribe them with some of the pancakes.
Now we're at the fun part: serving and eating! Personally, I like putting little bits of butter on the plate, dropping the hot pancakes on there, and then letting the butter melt. If you're feeling fancy, hold back a bit of zest to sprinkle on top, and maybe serve orange slices on the side? I bet a sprinkle of cinammon on top would look classy as fuck. Hell, throw some of that vanilla bean nonsense on there! Let me know if you eat them another way and that turns out yummy too!
I hope you tried it, and if you did, I hope it was delicious. :D Really do let me know, 'cause I really like this recipe-making nonsense!
One last thing: I know from personal experience that this batter can be stored, covered, in the fridge overnight, but I have no idea how it turns out beyond that. Best to use it right away if you can.
Anyways, this recipe might look a bit daunting, but it's really really easy to make, and it turns out really yummy! I hope you'll try it and let me know what you think!
1 cup flour
1/2-3/4 cups sugar (really depends on taste)
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 orange
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
OPTIONAL (but awesome if you can afford it): ~1/2 inch vanilla bean, cut open (use the insidey part, not the outsidey part; more on this later)
So first you mix the flour, the sugar, the cinnamon, and the salt. Adjust sugar and cinnamon to taste, and remember that the orange will add a bit of sweetness. If you're going to use vanilla bean, now's probably the best time to add it, and I'll tell you how.
Vanilla bean can be stupid expensive, hence the "optional" label, but it adds a bit of variety and a stronger vanilla flavor. If you're gonna use it, there are different ways to use it, but I cut it open lengthwise (just the half inch part you're using, of course!) and scoop out the darker brown bits inside, like those bits you see in ice cream. Just dump it in, and mix it in with all the other dry ingredients!
Now, if you're feeling really pretentious, or you just really love complicated cooking, you can sift the dry ingredients together! Wasn't that fun?!
So then you're gonna pour in the milk, the egg, and the vanilla extract (which can also be adjusted if you're extremely pro- or anti-vanilla). Stirring time! Really, any time you want, you can stir. We're chill here. Now we get to the most exciting part of this recipe: THE ORANGE. Note: you do NOT throw away ANY part of that orange until I tell you. Keep that in mind.
Everyone know what a juicer looks like? Not a proper one, a ghetto one. Okay, check this out. If this thing here:
looks at all familiar, you probably have a juicer. Just cut the orange in half and kind of mash the halves onto that anal plug-lookin' thing and rotate and squeeze and go to town. If you're rich and you have a real juicer that does the work for you, fuck you, and carry on. (I'm kidding. I LOVE YOU GUYS!)
So, you've got your orange juice, and you've got your orange peels. Still got them? GOOD. First thing's first: strain that juice before you pour it into your batter, unless you have a boner for pulpy pancakes. Feel free to toss the pulp, seeds, etc.
Now we're (YES, WE'RE. I'M THERE IN SPIRIT.) gonna zest those orange peels. Zest? The fuck is this madness?! Easy there, chef. Know that grater that looks like it would make really skinny cheese for pizza, but you never actually use it? HERE'S YOUR CHANCE!
Or really any grater with tiny holes. There's also another kind of zester that looks like this:
But I figure if you own that, you probably know how to zest anyways. Also, I don't know how to use one.
ANYWAYS. To get orange zest, grate off the orange part of the peels. Once you get down into the white part, which will happen fairly quickly, move to another spot. Zest for as long as you can stand (that shit gets boring), being careful not to add finger zest, and dump however much you want into the batter. One last stir, and you have the batter!
Now comes the part that I can never do. Cook the pancakes competently. One day I'll figure out that part. For now, I find enlisting a parent or a friend works quite well. Bribe them with some of the pancakes.
Now we're at the fun part: serving and eating! Personally, I like putting little bits of butter on the plate, dropping the hot pancakes on there, and then letting the butter melt. If you're feeling fancy, hold back a bit of zest to sprinkle on top, and maybe serve orange slices on the side? I bet a sprinkle of cinammon on top would look classy as fuck. Hell, throw some of that vanilla bean nonsense on there! Let me know if you eat them another way and that turns out yummy too!
I hope you tried it, and if you did, I hope it was delicious. :D Really do let me know, 'cause I really like this recipe-making nonsense!
One last thing: I know from personal experience that this batter can be stored, covered, in the fridge overnight, but I have no idea how it turns out beyond that. Best to use it right away if you can.