Double chocolate pancakes

What can you make with self-raising flour, cocoa powder and unsalted butter? Chocolate cake or cupcakes, right? Well Sainsbury’s Live Well For Less challenged me to think outside the box and come up with a recipe using these staples – anything BUT chocolate cake.

I put my thinking cap on and, after a flirtation with chocolate scones, I came up with these chocolate pancakes, to the eternal delight of my children. They are perfect for a weekend (or birthday) breakfast or even dessert served with some vanilla ice cream.

By the way these are very easy to throw together and my kids loved helping out by sifting and whisking the batter. Any leftovers can be frozen – but leftovers and chocolate pancakes don’t usually coexist!


Chocolate pancakes
Makes 12 large pancakes
150g | 1 1/4 cup | 5.3 oz self raising flour
60g | 1/4 cup light brown sugar (or caster sugar)
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
160ml | 2/3 cup milk
1 large egg
30g | 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp dark chocolate chips (optional)
Maple syrup to serve
Chopped nuts, grated chocolate and fruit to serve (optional)

Method

1. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
2. Add the melted butter and just mix it in.
3. Mix the egg and milk in a measuring jug and add to the bowl. Mix together with a whisk until you have a smooth batter. If it is too thick add a little more milk, a tablespoon at a time.
4. Add the chocolate chips, if using, and mix them in.
5. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large, non-stick pan, then wipe with a kitchen towel.
6. Lower the heat to medium and add a couple of tablespoons of batter per pancake. Smooth with the back of a spoon so that each pancake is smooth and even.
7. Cook for a minute or two until bubbles start to form on the surface. Carefully flip and cook for a couple more minutes. 
8. Continue until you use all the batter, wiping the pan with a little more oil between pancake batches.
9. Serve warm, drizzled with maple syrup and add chopped nuts and bananas or raspberries if you like.

Note: you can serve these with chocolate or butterscotch sauce if you want to go all out. I actually prefer them with maple syrup or agave nectar.