By Jane Valencia
We were heading soon to a gathering, and I unexpectedly found myself with a spare 45 minutes. Could I cook something to bring? We had a new large griddle, and over the years I’ve made a lot of pancakes. The pancakes today would need to be dairy-free. Gluten-free, or digestively gentle, would be a plus. That gave me the excuse to make pancakes with one of my new favorite grains, einkorn.
Einkorn is an ancient grain, with the simplest genetics of all wheats, making it easier for the body to digest. It is more nutritious than modern wheats, and has great flavor. Our gluten-sensitive daughter can eat and enjoy our einkorn flour creations. I hoped this would be the case for a friend with sensitivities who would be at the gathering.
It seems that this was so, as she asked for the recipe! Here it is, for you to enjoy, too.
Freshly milled einkorn flour is available on-Island from Fernhorn Bakery. You can also purchase einkorn flour at Thriftway. You can also substitute other flours for the einkorn in this recipe, though you may have to adjust the liquids.
Don’t let the ingredients stop you from trying this recipe. Pancakes are a flexible and forgiving medium that welcomes experimentation! In addition to substituting flours, you can use 2 eggs instead of the flax “egg,” and you can replace the coconut milk with a dairy or non-dairy milk of your choice. When replacing the reduced-fat coconut milk with other milks, add 3 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil or butter.
Blueberry Einkorn Pancakes
Makes 16-20 3″ to 4″ pancakes
1¼ cup whole-grain einkorn flour
1¾ cup all-purpose einkorn flour
(Or just use 3 cups of whatever einkorn flour you have)
2 tbsp ground flax seed (or 2 eggs)
6 tbsp hot water
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp grated ginger
¼ tsp cardamom
⅛ tsp nutmeg
1 can reduced-fat coconut milk (or a milk of your choice)
½ to 1 cup or more of water
2 cups blueberries, frozen or fresh
Coconut oil (or butter, or other oil of your choice) for frying
(Optional: 1-3 pinches of lavender buds and rose petals, as desired)
Make flax “eggs:” In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed with 6 tbsp of hot water. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Or: beat two eggs and set aside.
The batter:
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients – flours, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
- Empty the can of coconut milk, including the cream on top, into a saucepan. Heat low, and stir, until the cream melts and combines with the milk. Turn off heat. Add ½ cup of water and combine.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour the liquid into the well. Add the flax eggs and grated ginger, then combine the ingredients with a minimum of strokes with a wooden spoon.
- Wait a few minutes to give the flour a chance to fully absorb the liquid. If the batter is too thick, add more water – perhaps as much as another ½ cup, or a bit more.
- With a few strokes, stir in the blueberries and, if including, the lavender buds and rose petals.
- Heat your skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a couple of teaspoons of coconut oil. When the skillet or griddle is heated, scoop about ½ cup of batter for each pancake.
- Fry on the first side until the top begins to bubble. Check the bottom with a spatula for the color. When the pancake has crisped slightly with a bit of golden-brown color, flip it and cook the other side. Repeat until all the batter has been used. As needed, add a little coconut oil between cooking each pancake to prevent sticking.
- Serve and enjoy!
