Buttermilk isn’t hard to find here…
The first time I came across it was on my French Exchange, where the family I was staying with obviously mistook my fussy 13-year-old self for someone who loved buttermilk, and presented me with a huge bowl every morning. I will never know how I managed to eat it, and remember likening it to cold sick in a bowl in the grumpy entries of my diary of the trip (much better than my sister’s experience though, which you can read about here!)… But here too it’s quite a delicacy, especially in the alpine areas famous for their dairy produce, and you can buy glasses of the stuff in many a bier garten…
I don’t actually mind it too much now, it just tastes like watered down greek yoghurt – and it makes the best pancakes ever – huge fluffy affairs that come close to any in the American Diners I have frequented. Not sure I will ever truly appreciate the bacon/syrup combination they are so fond of in the States, but in this house the accompaniment of choice is tiny dots of butter, plenty of maple syrup and lots and lots of blueberries, which is just as well as we still have bags of them in the freezer…
Buttermilk Pancakes:
Wet Mix:
2 eggs, 50g melted butter, 80mls milk, 470ml buttermilk
Dry Mix:
250g plain flour, 7g baking powder, 5g bicarbonate of Soda, 25g sugar, 3g Salt.
Mix together dry ingredients in one bowl. Beat together wet ingredients. When ready, gently stir both sets together until just combined. Do not over stir…
Drop spoonfuls into a lightly buttered frying pan, and cook over a medium heat. They are ready to flip when bubbles form across the surface.
Present them to waiting vultures, and enjoy the luxury of a no-rush lazy Saturday morning!
PS. You could of course halve this recipe, but we literally make a stack and freeze them if there are any left…
I’ve only used buttermilk for soda bread so it’ll be nice to use it in something different for a change.
On the rare occasion we haven’t had it in the fridge, I have made them with yoghurt before, but buttermilk is the best definitely! Makes great cakes too! :)
This look SO droolworthy I’ve been back to look at them twice! Pinned and Stumbled. Thanks for linking up to #recipeoftheweek – there’s a new linky up now, so do come and add another recipe, if you haven’t already :)
Thanks Emily, you are very kind! :)
They sound scrumptious but totally off limits for me until the pre-wedding diet is accomplished :)
A perfect honeymoon breakfast!! Thanks Mari! xxx
Those look lovely. I always have problems finding buttermilk. I use it in soda bread but you can do something clever with normal milk to make it the same. I always forget what though
I think if you mix milk and natural yoghurt together you get the same effect, but I can’t remember the quantities! Thank you Alison! :)
I was once in an executive type meeting that required local integration, cultural exchange, general cap doffing and was invited to drink the local favourite mid morning drink. One pint of buttermilk later, I was contemplating the upward curve of my career was asking too much of me, whilst the downward curve of a toilet seemed to be a worthwhile visit before my big presentation.
:D It is definitely an acquired taste. You can be grateful that you weren’t in Norway at least, it could have been something like lutefisk! :D
What a shame I’m seeing this post at the end of the weekend. We had pancakes too yesterday, but more the thin crepes kind. I’ve always wanted to make the American-Diner-Breakfast (yes, without sweet bacon), but never gotten around to it. I’m going to keep this for next weekend – a plump tower just like that. It looks delicious, Emma!
Thanks Pia… You must let me know if you make them, I promise they are good! :)
Wow these look amazing!!!
And so simple even the Seven Year old can make them (with a little supervision with the saucepan obviously!) :D
Can you just use normal milk or is it best to try another recipe?
I think we used some watered down plain yoghurt once, but this website has some great alternatives: http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2011/03/kitchen-tip-homemade-buttermilk-substitute.html
Want.
There are some left in the freezer! :)
They do look pretty special.
Definitely worth a try, honestly! :)
as always, emma, your shots and descriptions make my mouth water. i have to say, fat american style pancakes are not my favorite. my mother, who is latvian, always made crepes with fruit/jam when i was little. i continue to make those (although rarely) today. i am positive your pancakes are absolutely fantastic, though. :~)
I like the sound of your crepes with jam, I like any kind of pancakes, even those made by my five year old! Thank you Mignon!
A truly decadent recipe for pancakes – and I’m with you on the toppings.
Quite decadent I guess, but the outcome is goood :) x
Never put butter in a batter mix before, most odd (and fattening!)
But it works… You might be right about the fattening part though! :D
Very nice we love pancakes in our house whats your favourite topping mines maple syrup
Thanks Helen, definitely maple syrup if nothing else! :D
Your pancakes look so tempting! I do remember taking a glug of buttermilk by mistake a long time ago and thought it was vile beyond belief! But I’ve been told before that it’s great for things like pancakes so will look out for some. Not very easy to find here. I think pancakes would be a perfect breakfast this sunday, seeing as it’s going to be such a special day :) x
I could find it from time to time in Sainsburies, it’s usually sold in a yoghurt pot rather than a big bottle like it is here! :D Thinking of you today, hope there’s some champagne to go with those pancakes in your house!! :) xx
Oh my goodness, do they look yummy! We’re massive pancake fans in our house although I mainly use them to smear a whole jar of nutella on so I rarely taste the actual pancake. Sunday mornings are our pancake time – everything shuts in Switzerland on a Sunday so we’re never in a rush to be anywhere.
Having lived in two countries where they close down on a Sunday now, I have to say that although it took a lot of getting used to, I kind of like it now! :D