Orange and lemon pancakes

Living in the UK pancakes are traditional on Shrove Tuesday, this falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies.

To me, pancakes should not be celebrated on just one day or for special occasions. They are delicious and so versatile, whether you go for the American style thick pancakes or the thin crepe version. They can be either sweet or savoury.

These are lovely fluffy pancakes that are vegan and because I am using chickpea flour they are naturally gluten-free.

Using chickpea (garbanzo) flour in a recipe means that the pancakes will be naturally gluten-free and also it has the bonus of being in protein. This makes a great start today for vegans

Chickpea flour contains roughly 20 grams of protein per 100g it is also known to include a wide range of healthy vitamins and minerals including folate and iron. It also has a low GI (glycemic index) level so no spikes in your blood sugar levels and keeps you fuller for longer.

Notes

Why should the batter be rested?

Resting the batter will allow the dry ingredients to absorb all the wet ingredients. This will result in a fluffier pancake so it is worth doing.

Can I use gluten-free flour instead?

I have made this using gluten-free flour and regular plain flour. There was not a lot of difference in the cook. Once drizzles and toppings were added nobody will be any wiser.

The flour I have used in this recipe is chickpea flour, also known as garbanzo bean flour. Both flours are made from ground chickpeas. Do not Gram or Besan flour as these require a different liquid ratio.

Why does the batter have to be thick?

You need the batter after it has rested to be nice and thick, this is because you do not need them to spread too much in the pan so they rise upwards. Once you add your batter into the hot pan just form a circle with the back of a ladle.

Orange and lemon pancakes

• Preparation Time 10 Minutes
• Cooking Time 5 Minutes
• Makes 12 Pancakes

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free

Ingredients

• 125 g of chickpea or regular plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp of caster sugar
• Zest of 1 orange and a lemon
• 3 tbsp of golden maple syrup plus extra for a drizzle
• 250 ml of non-dairy milk
• 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• Plus oil for the pan

Instructions

1. Add all the dry ingredients into a large bowl plus the citrus zest.
2. Combine the milk and the cider vinegar in a jug and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Add this to the dry ingredients, whisk to form a nice thick batter. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes or longer.
3. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, once hot add a ladle of batter to the pan and spread out to a circle, you could also use a baking ring if you want the exact size.
4. Cook until you notice air bubbles on the surface of the pancakes and the edges start to colour, then it’s time to flip. Cook for a couple of minutes and then transfer to a clean folded tea towel to keep warm until they are all cooked.
5. Serve drizzled with a fruit and drizzle of your choice.

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• Vegan Tikka Masala
• Vegan Cottage Pie

If you like this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Twitter as @veganalchemist1 or my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thegfveganalchemist I love seeing your versions of my recipes. Or I would love to hear your comments.

I have not been paid or gifted any brand names I have mentioned.