Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes with Orange Infused Syrup

  Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes with Orange Infused Syrup

Regular followers of Rock Recipes knew this was bound to happen. My ongoing love affair with the flavor combination of chocolate and orange continues with these amazing weekend brunch pancakes. When I began making flavored homemade syrups to serve with pancakes, an orange version was one of the first ideas that came into my head. The little splash of vanilla at the end gives it just a little extra floral flavor boost too.

Even without the orange syrup, these are great chocolate chip pancakes that any kid would love. My kids have been eating them their whole lives and have long taken over the pancake making duties in this household.

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes with Orange Infused Syrup

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Making your own orange infused syrup to serve with pancakes is very easy and makes any occasion at which you serve these light and fluffy, delicious chocolate chip pancakes just a bit more special. 

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 7 minutes
Total time: 27 minutes
Yield: 12 large pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 egg
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 cups chocolate chips (approximately)
• ORANGE SYRUP
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• zest of one orange chopped in strips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

1. Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
2. Whisk together the egg, vanilla extract, buttermilk and melted butter.
3. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk together just until combined. Do not over mix. Don't worry about small lumps. The batter will be thick.
4. Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour batter onto a lightly greased griddle on medium heat; it's best to cook these slowly. You may need to spread the batter out a little with the back of a spoon but this is usually not necessary.
5. Sprinkle on some chocolate chips before flipping. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until the center is fully cooked.
6. To make the ORANGE INFUSED SYRUP, in a small saucepan bring the water, sugar, corn syrup to a slow simmer. Add the strips of orange zest.
7. Continue to cook at a slow simmer until the mixture reaches 230 degrees F on a candy or meat thermometer. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
8. Allow the syrup to cool to almost room temperature before serving over the pancakes. You can remove the candied orange zest and use it to garnish the pancakes.