Earthy, bold flavors are what come to mind when I think of Autumn. Toasty hazelnuts, spices, pumpkin, beets, and fennel are a few favorites, not to mention fruits like figs, persimmons and apples. I was home last weekend to find my mom’s tree overflowing with pears, so I gathered as many as I could carry to bring with me back to the city. I let them sit in the fruit basket for the week to ripen some more, and come Saturday morning they were ready to be devoured.
Instead of maple syrup, I topped the cakes with a spiced honey that was so good I could barely contain myself. I actually don’t think you should make these pancakes unless you’re going to serve them with the spiced honey! The gluten and grain-free batter uses almond flour, which adds a heartiness and buttery flavor that satisfy much more than the refined flour and sugar-filled breakfast of stomach-pains past.
CINNAMON PEAR PANCAKES WITH SPICED HONEY :: Makes about 10
Be sure to use pears that are not overripe, otherwise they’ll turn to mush when you try and grate them. If you have some super soft pears that you’re just dying to use, puree them in a blender with the eggs before mixing with dry ingredients. You may need to add less water or milk to the final batter.
2 cups almond flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 ripe but firm pears, cored and grated
3 eggs
water or milk to thin the batter, as needed
1/2 cup honey
1/8 tsp. each cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves
1 Tbsp. butter or coconut oil
more butter or coconut oil, for the pan
In a large bowl, combine almond flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs and add grated pears (about 2 cups).
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and stir until moistened. Add water by 1/4 cup until desired consistency is reached– not too thin, but not too sticky.
Heat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add a tablespoon of butter or coconut oil. Scoop batter by 1/4 cup onto the griddle, and gently shape with the back of the spoon to help them spread.
Cook for 3-4 minutes each side– you want to wait for bubbles to form before flipping them. They burn easily, so keep the heat lower than you think you need to, and be patient with them.
Meanwhile, combine honey, spices, and butter or coconut oil in a small saucepan over very low heat. Stirring occasionally, warm until honey is smooth and resembles the consistency of maple syrup. Keep warm until ready to serve.
When pancakes are finished cooking, pile onto a plate and drizzle with warm spiced honey. Accompaniments: broiled pears and a slice of bacon.