Chocolate Sesame Pancakes
A couple of months ago, I came across a wonderful recipe from the one and only Carolina Gelen with Food52. Her “Sesame Pancakes” recipe is buttery, fluffy, and crunchy- a ride of different textures and flavors for the perfect morning treat. After doing more research (both reading and eating, as usual), I made the connection of these sweet stacks to the traditional sesame pancake originating in Shanghai.
The traditional Shanghai Sesame Pancake is similar to a scallion pancake. It’s flaky, torn apart, and filled with an herbaceous blend of spring onions and white pepper, then coated with sesame seeds.
This recipe pulls inspiration from both Carolina and the Shanghai sesame pancakes. this version is equal parts fluffy, fudgy, crunchy, and nutty. It pairs beautifully with fresh berries, a lot of butter, and a douse of maple syrup (like that one attraction in waterparks where tons of water are dumped on children).
Make this for your next boozy saturday brunch, you won’t regret it!
Chocolate Sesame Pancakes
Makes 2 servings
Time: 10 minutes
DIRECTIONS
To begin, make your flax egg by stirring together 1 tablespoon flax meal and 3 tablespoons of warm water, then set aside.
In a bowl, add the flour, baking soda/powder, salt, and sugar. Using a sieve, sift in the cocoa powder and whisk until incorporated.
Make a well in the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk in the flax egg, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, butter, and milk. Whisk until combined and a pancake consistency comes to fruition.
Heat a skillet over medium heat with oil. I highly suggest never using butter to cook your pancakes as butter tends to burn and will impact the taste of your stack.
Using a 1/3 measuring cup, measure out batter into the heated skillet. Once the pancake shape forms, swiftly sprinkle on an even coating of sesame seeds. Cook on one side (about 2-3 minutes or until bubbles begins to form) and flip. Cook on the sesame seed side for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Once cooked, stack and garnish with your favorite toppings. I prefer to add smashed berries, butter, and maple syrup.
Dive in!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 flax egg or regular egg
(3 tablespoon water + 1 tablespoon flax meal)
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup milk of choice
1/2 to 1 cup sesame seeds, to coat
fresh berries, to garnish
