pear pancakes with blueberry compote

we love pancakes! i'm talking love them. we always try our best to serve them when we have company because they really are a hit. this recipe is completely buttermilk and margarine free. not many people think about incorporating fruit into the actual pancake itself, fruit salad is usually a side dish to a stack of flapjacks. we had family over for sunday brunch and our 3 year old niece absolutely loved them! little did she know they were filled with a beautiful pear from the st. lawrence market and spelt flour. and instead of maple syrup, we decided to make a fresh blueberry compote from freshly picked blueberries we had picked the day before at a farm in prince edward county. these are to die for and please feel free to use any fruit you like. grated apples work just as well!

Recipe:

• 1 cup flour (we used spelt)
• 1 cup nut milk (almond or cashew work well)
• 1 free-range egg
• 1 bosc pear (grated)
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of cinnamon

compote:

• knob of coconut oil
• 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 3 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• zest of half a lemon

preheat oven to 200ºF. ensure you have an oven proof dish that will keep the pancakes warm until served.

whisk the nut milk and egg together until smooth. in a separate bowl, sift the flour and then add to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula. once the ingredients are well combined, grate the pear into the mixture and add any cinnamon or nutmeg for extra flavour. 

heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat and add a knob of coconut oil until melted. using a measuring cup or ladle, pour into the pan and allow to cook for a couple minutes until the batter starts to bubble slightly. flip when confident and cook on the other side until they are golden brown. once cooked, add to the warm oven-safe dish in the oven to keep warm. 

once your pancakes are cooked, you can start to make your compote.

in a small saucepan on medium heat, add a knob of coconut oil to the pan until melted. add half of the blueberries to the oil and allow to warm for a couple minutes. add the water, sugar and lemon zest and juice and cook for ten minutes and until fragrant. add the remaining cup of blueberries to the mixture and cook for another 6-8 minutes or so. serve warm.

now for the best part: plating! we used a mandolin to thinly slice extra slices of pear and added a gently dusting of cinnamon overtop. we love to stack our pancakes on top of one another for height on the plate. in between each pancake, we layered some cottage cheese in between for extra flavour and texture. once the pancakes are stacked, place your pear slices in the centre and pour over the blueberry goodness until it bleeds on the plate. this is your opportunity to get creative with your plating and impress your family as you like. we love pancakes in our household and this recipe is definitely guilt free (and kid-approved). enjoy!