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.

Caramel Apple Buttermilk Pancakes

Caramel Apple Buttermilk Pancakes

Apples are one of the things most commonly added to pancakes at our house, so when I was thinking about recipe ideas to feature for the upcoming annual Pancake Day, these came to mind but how to make these pancakes just a little different? The answer? Forget maple syrup or that artificially flavored store bought stuff, everyone knows that apples love caramel! Our wickedly good Homemade Caramel Sauce has appeared in many of our indulgent desserts here on Rock Recipes and it was just the thing to take these wonderful pancakes to the next level. 

It was so indulgently good that I plan on making this pancake idea for dessert next time with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. I'll get back to you with the reviews when I do.

You can find our Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe by clicking here.

Caramel Apple Buttermilk Pancakes

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Sweet apple pieces are cooked right into these light and fluffy pancakes and get saved with the best homemade caramel sauce of your dreams. This is so indulgently delicious, I'd even suggest adding a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and serving it on occasion as an amazing dessert!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 7 minutes
Total time: 17 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)
• 2 medium apples, peeled and diced
• few pinches ground cinnamon

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 diced apple pieces and sprinkle each pancake with ground cinnamon before flipping. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until the center is fully cooked.

Best Basic Buttermilk Pancakes

Best Basic Buttermilk Pancakes

A good basic buttermilk pancake recipe is a useful thing indeed. I've tweaked this recipe to be extra light and fluffy and so simple to prepare that considering using a pancake mix will never be a real need ever again and so quick that you may even be making them on weekday mornings. Add fresh berries in season or chocolate chips like my kids do throughout the year for a weekend brunch treat that will have 'em rushing to the table.

Best Basic Buttermilk Pancakes

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

A basic recipe for a weekend brunch staple, light, fluffy, delicious buttermilk pancakes. This is a terrific basic recipe to which you can add your favorite berries or as my kids mostly do, chocolate chips. I find it best to sprinkle the berries or chocolate chips on the pancakes while they are on the grill before you flip them for best even distribution in every bite.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 7 minutes
Total time: 17 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
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 tbsp melted butter

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. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until lightly browned on both sides and the center is fully cooked.

VIDEO RECIPE: Buttermilk Biscuits with Chorizo Sausage and Quick Tomato Compote

For iPad and iPhone users, if the video does not load below please try this link on the CBC website.

Here's the second installment in Rock Recipes video cooking series with CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Regular readers know I love my Sunday Brunch and this recipe is a real stick-to-your- ribs kind of start to a busy weekend day. Check out how to make the lightest buttermilk biscuits and how to quickly and simply make some homemade chorizo sausage. Add some quick-cooked, fresh tomato compote and scrambled egg and you've got one outstanding brunch dish.

Find the individual recipes in this dish at the links below: 

Buttermilk Biscuits

Chorizo Sausage

Spicy Quick Tomato Compote 

Buttermilk Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

Buttermilk Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

I’ve seen several versions of these gorgeous cinnamon rolls on various blogs and on Pinterest and I’ve even had a couple of readers ask if I had a recipe of my own, so I finally got around to trying this idea this morning. As a die-hard cinnamon roll lover, I was a bit skeptical but with no need for the significant amount of time it takes a yeast raised dough to rise, I had these in the oven in about 20 minutes, so that in itself is a huge benefit of this recipe.

In the end, as I sat with my morning coffee, enjoying one of these warm from the oven, I realized I did not miss spending all that time waiting to enjoy a great cinnamon roll at all. This is an idea that is sure to make repeat appearances at weekend brunches at our house.

Makes 8 large rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a food processor, blend together:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Pulse in

• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp very cold salted butter, cut in small cubes

Do not over incorporate the butter into the flour. Similar to making a flaky pastry, small pieces of butter should be visible in the flour. 

Transfer this mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Working very quickly with a wooden spoon, fold the dry mixture through the buttermilk, only until the flour disappears, then stop immediately. Drop the sticky dough onto a well floured counter top or bread board. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour as well as flouring your hands to handle the dough. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 9x18 inches.

Mix together into a paste:

• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp melted butter

Spread this paste evenly onto the rolled dough using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with

• ¾ cup of raisins (optional)

Press the raisins down into the dough gently with the palm of your hand.

Starting at the shorter end of the rolled dough roll the dough up tightly and pinch the end of the dough together to seal the end of the dough into the roll.

Slice the roll into 8 equally thick slices and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I recommend aluminum baking sheets because they tolerate the higher oven temperature without burning the bottom of the biscuits. You can brush the rolls with an egg wash to help them brown and sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar for a little crunch if you like but this is optional.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are evenly golden brown. Drizzle with Vanilla Glaze.

Vanilla Glaze

• 3/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix together until smooth. You can add a little more icing sugar or milk to make the glaze thicker or thinner in consistency to suit your taste.