pear pressure

How excited am I to make these?!

I just came across this recipe this morning, and something about it - I don't know if it was the pear, or the buckwheat, or the several days straight of chilly grey weather we've been having, or the Gorgeous (with a capital "G") photographs - anyway, something about it spoke to me and now I must make it, immediately. The funniest thing is, I am not even a real pancake 'fan' to be honest. I would never order them at a restaurant, I almost never make them at home - I much prefer waffles, or even crepes, on the odd occasion that I am craving something sweet for breakfast - but I am a 100% tried and true classic (bacon/sausage-eggs-homefries) breakfast lover. (Is it just me or do I talk about breakfast more than the average person?)

So, here is the recipe and a few of the beautiful photos, all from the lovely Sprouted Kitchen. Normally I would try a recipe out before posting it, but I was just so irrationally excited about this one that I couldn't wait. I will be sure let you know how they turn out, though!

PEAR + BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES // Makes 12
Adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce

1 Cup Buckwheat Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/2 Cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour
3 Tbsp. Turbinado Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Spice Blend*
3/4 tsp. Sea Salt
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 Cup Buttermilk
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Large Egg
2 Firm Pears (I used Bosc and Comice)
1/2 Cup Honey
2 oz. (1/2 stick) Unsalted Butter

1. Sift all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, making sure everything is evenly distributed.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk/milk, and butter until combined. If you don’t have buttermilk, all milk will be just fine.
3. Peel the pears, and grate them in the large holes of a box grater. Add the pears and their juices to the buttermilk mixture.
4. Gently add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir ’til just combined. It should be fairly thick – Boyce recommends letting it sit for a little while, or overnight in the fridge. If you let it rest, you will need to thin it out with milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time. Adjust to your pancake thickness preference.
5. Melt the honey and 2oz. of butter together, and keep warm to pour over the pancakes later.
6. Heat a cast iron pan, or griddle over medium heat. Add batter in 1/4 cup mounds to the pan, once the tops start to bubble, check that the bottoms are golden brown and flip to the other side. Cook about 5 minutes total.
7. Wipe the pan between batches, and rub a little butter in between.
Serve the pancakes hot from the skillet, with a splash of honey butter on top.

{I'm sorry, a splash of honey butter?!?! Yes, please.}