I love that there is such a thing as Pancake Day! Who doesn’t love pancakes of all kinds? There are crepes, crepecakes, mini pancakes, pizza pancakes, pancake stacks and unlimited choices of toppings. Yup, it’s safe to say I have a love for pancakes. While I don’t always get them the exact size or the perfect color they still always taste SO YUMMY.
The Most Amazing Chocolate Pancakes
These Berry Chocolate Pancakes were requested from my daughter, another pancake lover. While we always make B his own version of eggless, free from pancakes these ones the family dived into without question. She loves all berries and chocolate so it was easy to pair the two together. My first attempt at these pancakes, I wanted them red as Valentine’s Day is the day after Pancake Day but I think my chocolate in the batter over took the red food coloring so we stuck with the berry chocolate combo this year. They have a more rich, chocolatey flavour that traditional chocolate chip pancakes – and I think that’s why we love them so much.
Sometimes you a failed recipe turns into a good thing and the chocolatey flavor mixed with fresh, juicy berries here is a great example of that. We can’t get them right every time but we can still turn them into something delicious to share with everyone. I hope you all celebrate Pancake Day with a big stack this year. Let me know what you think of these, if you try them.
If pancakes with chocolate aren’t your thing then you should try my cinnamon caramel cake batter pancakes instead – they are amazing!
Berry Chocolate Pancakes
an indulgent fruity pancake stack
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 Tbsp cocoa
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups semi-skin milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
Instructions
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Preheat non-stick griddle to 350 degrees F
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In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
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In separate medium bowl, mix milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter
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While whisking, slowly add dry ingredients, mix well
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Pour batter onto griddle to the size of pancakes you want
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Flip when bubbles start to form all over
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Stack pancakes together
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Use a cream cheese glaze or a strawberry syrup to to
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Add raspberries, strawberries and chocolate chips on top to serve
The Secrets To Perfect Pancakes
If you find you usually burn your pancakes, or that they are tough and chewy, or even uncooked inside then below are my top tips for perfect pancakes every time.
Don’t Mix The Batter Too Much
The first thing thing to remember when making your chocolate pancakes is not to over mix the batter. Everyone thinks you have to have a perfectly smooth batter but in fact some small lumps are ok. When you beat the batter too much it over works the gluten and makes your pancakes tough and chewy.
Don’t Use Cooking Oils
Most people assume that cooking oils or fats are needed to stop pancakes sticking. In reality they don’t need anything, even on a cast iron pan. When a pancake is ready it should flip perfectly. Adding fat stops pancakes from having their perfectly smooth finish.
Watch The Heat
It is tempting to crank up the heat under your pancakes, but you will end up with pancakes that are burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. You want a consistent, fairly low heat and once it is set you shouldn’t need to change it throughout the cooking time. Allow the pan to fully heat up before cooking your first pancake too.
Look For Bubbles
You can tell when your pancake is ready to flip when you can see bubbles along the edge. They should be bursting and not refilling with batter, and that’s when it’s time to flip. You should then reveal a perfectly golden brown underside to the pancake.
Check out my cinnamon caramel cake batter pancakes for another breakfast treat
Perfect Pancake Toppings
With a delicious cream cheese glaze or if you prefer a strawberry syrup (homemade or store bought) both are fab options to add to your chocolate pancake stack, before you top it with berries and chocolate chips. Whip cream to make it truly a big dessert for breakfast, if you are going extreme celebrations here. You could even go super indulgent with some of my homemade salted caramel sauce. The kids like to roll their pancakes one layer off at a time, it’s like peeling a pancake stack for breakfast whereas I like to sink my fork straight into all layers so I get a little bit of everything on every bite.
Assembling A Pancake Stack
There are various ways you can put this together depending on how you eat your pancake stacks too. Why not put the glaze or syrup and berries in between layers to they don’t fall off the top or your fork. Sandwich them between two pancakes instead of piling high on top of a stack. This way you get that sweet glaze or syrup with every bite. It’s up to you, how you eat your pancakes, but enjoy!
Freezing Pancakes For Later
Sometimes the kids ask for pancakes when I just don’t have the time to make them fresh, but if you make a double batch one weekend morning you can freeze them another day. Let your pancakes cool fully, and then place a piece of greaseproof paper between each one before you put them in a bag in the freezer. They will store like this for up to 3 months – if you don’t eat them first.
When you want a quick breakfast, it’s really easy to reheat frozen pancakes. You grab however many you want and put them in the microwave for around 60 seconds. If you are heating quite a few pancakes it may take a little longer. I then like to put them in the toaster to give the outside a quick crisp up, but it’s not totally necessary. Add your fresh berries and tuck in!
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