Christmas Pudding Pancakes

by Miggs McTaylor

Lightly spiced and full of dried fruit, Christmas pudding pancakes are a deliciously festive way to start the day during the holiday season. Sliced oranges in syrup and sweet cranberries are the perfect fruity accompaniments for the banana buckwheat pancakes, and a garnish of maple roasted pecan and pumpkin seeds top off this dish nicely. The individual components of this dish can all be prepared separately ahead of time, which makes it the perfect dish for spending more time around the table and not in the kitchen. Gently reheat the pancakes (10-20 seconds in a microwave) and arrange them on a plate or cake stand for a more dramatic presentation. Warm the fruit and syrup to top your pancake wreath and garnish with maple pecans and pumpkin seeds before serving.

Serves 4 - 6 people depending on appetite | Prep time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cup buckwheat flour • 1 medium banana • 1 – 2 Tablespoons agave syrup or a homemade date syrup • ½ cup coconut water or orange juice • ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk • 1 Tablespoons baking powder • Pinch sea salt • 1 teaspoon mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice • ½ cup fruit cake mix - or your choice mixed of dried fruit finely diced

Directions

1) Blend all ingredients except the dried fruit together to make a smooth batter. If preparing the batter ahead of time, add the baking powder just before cooking. Stir through the dried fruit. 2) Lightly oil a heavy-based skillet or griddle and bring to a medium heat. 3) Pour 1/4 cup of the pancake batter onto the frypan or griddle. (For a no-oil pancake, use a non-stick frypan.) 4) The pancakes are ready to turn over when air bubbles appear on the surface, and a skin starts to form.

Reduce the temperature if they burn before cooking on the surface. 5) Cook until lightly golden.

Orange and Cranberries in Syrup

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries • 2 oranges – peeled and sliced • 1 cup orange juice • 2 teaspoon potato starch • Maple or agave syrup or sweetener of choice Mix potato starch into the cold orange juice, gently heat in a small pot stirring until it thickens. If it goes lumpy, blitz it in a blender. Use maple or agave syrup and sweeten to taste. Stir in the cranberries and add the orange slices to the pot and gently coat in the syrup. Keep warm on a very low heat or reheat for service.

Maple Roasted Pecans and Pumpkin Seeds

• 1/2 cup pecans • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup Toss pecans and pumpkin seeds in maple syrup, and spread in a single layer on a lined baking tray. Bake at 320ºF for 10 minutes, toss to ensure they bake evenly, and bake a further 10 minutes or until evenly cooked. Cool and store in an airtight container until needed.