With a Bisquickness: Pumpkin Pancakes with Cranberry Conserve and Spiced Whipped Cream

"If you vote Waffle, Dad said you can't come for Christmas."

This morning I woke up slowly -- it was a good morning, with no expectations or commitments. I went to bed late, woke up early and was not tired at all. Lounging in bed was only improved when big, fat wet flakes of snow began to fall. There's not much more to say than that. These pancakes were a perfect way to extend a good morning.

A note -- if you don't like the idea of this, I have to say that someone I was cooking breakfast for did not, the pancakes are wonderful alone, with a handful of Guittard milk chocolate chips tossed into the batter. Just make sure your griddle/pan is greased well.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cranberry Conserve and Spiced Whipped Cream
Adapted from All Recipes

2 cups AP Flour
4 Tablespoons Muscavado Sugar (Substitute golden/light brown sugar, if needed)
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup Pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider vinegar

Cranberry Conserve
Spiced Whipped Cream

Whisk together the wet ingredients (egg, pumpkin, milk, vinegar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract). Add the Muscavado and Granulated sugars. With a fork, stir together the flour, baking powder and soda, spices and salt until combined. Gently fold into the wet mixture, leaving a few lumps, just until combined.

Heat a dry griddle, frying or saucepan until a flick of water jumps crazily. If you like, and if you're not working with nonstick or a seasoned pan, you can grease it with a knob of butter, a little vegetable oil, sebum. Pour even scoops or ladles of batter onto the prepped cooking surface, and cook over medium heat until dry bubbles form around the edges. Flip, and cook until slightly risen, golden brown on both sides, and then stack on a plate loosely covered with foil and stash in a just-heated oven until you've used up all the batter.

To serve, lightly spread each pancake with butter and sprinkle with a dash of maple, Muscavado or light brown sugar. Layer one or two pancakes on a plate, and spoon the warmed Cranberry Conserve over. Top with a lazy dollop of Spiced Whipped Cream and eat while feeling decadent and luxurious, like Donald Trump just dipped your body in 24 Karat Gold and put you on display for all five boroughs. Just like Angelina Jolie must feel right now.

Cranberry Conserve
1 ½ bags (18 ounces) fresh cranberries
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled and diced
1/3 cup of water

In a medium to large saucepan, mix all ingredients together. Cook on medium until juices have thickened, cleared and cranberries have popped. Remove cinnamon stick and pour into serving dish(es) if chilling and using later. If not, serve warm. Chill or freeze leftovers.

Spiced Whipped Cream
1/2 cup chilled, heavy cream
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
A few scrapes of freshly grated nutmeg

Chill a glass or metal bowl and the whisk or beaters you'll be using, for at least fifteen minutes. Pour the cream into the chilled bowl, add the sugar and vanilla extract. Whip, gradually moving from low to higher speeds, until cream reaches soft peak stage. Or, you can pour the cream, sugar and vanilla extract into a heavy-duty (I use thick, plastic Thai Food takeout containers) lidded plastic container, mason jar or the like and shake for a good minute or so, until the cream stops sloshing around -- you'll hear a thick thud as it swings against the sides, and the interior will become completely opaque. Check, and you should have a nice, softly whipped cream. Either way -- once you're there, add the cinnamon and nutmeg, whip or shake until the cream holds a decent, proud peak and serve immediately.

Comments

[Nazy]

this looks (and probably smells) absolutely divine! I'm definitely making these this weekend, though I might just take a stab at the pancakes and the spiced whip cream first.

[bea]

I love pumpkin! and I love pancakes! so I surely love your pumpkin pancakes!