Paleo seems to be everywhere these days. In theory it sounds great, but for some reason I haven't gotten on the train, not a good or bad thing, it just hasn't tickled my fancy.
Yet.
I love trying new things like that, so maybe my interest will be piqued by Janny's submission today!
Check it out!
The Original
Janny thought these paleo pumpkin pancakes looked TO DIE for, so she tried them out.
The Pinstrosity
Oh no!!
These Pumpkin Paleo Pancakes went kerPlunk (someone take the keyboard away, this is getting out of hand).
Here is what Janny had to say about her pancake concoction:
"I used almond milk instead of coconut milk, I thought it would be an OK substitution since I'd seen it on other pancake recipes. I'm not sure if that's what caused the burned pile of half cooked batter or not.
The batter did not stick together at all- so flipping the pancakes was impossible!
It actually tasted ok once I got past the texture and burned spots! I opted for eggs and avocado instead. "
I would suggest sticking to the recipe, as we know it is tried and true.
One thing that might have had an affect on the burn-ed-ness is how hot your stove was. As for the batter not sticking together like it should have, it's hard to suggest something that can be used as a substitute for the whole paleo thing (the original recipe used coconut flour which I have never used so I'm not sure as to its "stickiness").
The other thing I caught in the original was that you need to "fold" at one point as opposed to stirring. I'm not saying Janny didn't do this (she didn't mention either way) but in past Pinstrosities that was a big problem if you skipped that, so there is a thought on all that.
I'm no paleo, or pancake, or pumpkin for that matter expert. Like I said, I haven't tried paleo, I'm a waffle kind of girl (I know the batter is pretty much the same it's just a texture thing) and I am probable THE only person on the planet earth who doesn't eat copious amounts of pumpkin in the fall, or all year round really.
Whew!
What I am saying is, "Pumpkin, Paleo, and Pancake experts of the interwebs!!! Unite!!" What can we do to help the texture on these bad boys??
Happy Tuesday all!
Nitpicky comment: waffle and pancake batter (when made properly) are actually quite a bit different. ;) Also, it's always reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who just doesn't go all ga-ga over pumpkin.
ReplyDeleteReally not sure what went wrong, but substituting almond milk for coconut milk actually could be a big problem. Coconut milk from a carton might be ok, but if it's supposed to be the stuff from the can, you've just cut the fat way down, and that will have an effect.
ReplyDeleteI don't get these fad diets at all. Just eat regular pancakes every once in awhile, not every day, and it's not going to be a health issue.
ReplyDeleteCoconut milk is a much different texture and fat content. I'd say that might be the problem.
ReplyDeletePumpkin pancakes are the bomb! Not being a 'paleo' person, I've simply added a bit of canned pumpkin to a regular pancake recipe added in nutmeg and allspice and have had good results!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Bea. Canned pumpkin with pancake batter is awesome. I've also added chocolate chips to the mix! Yum yum!!
ReplyDeleteXanthan gum or guar gum are your friends! Just a 1/4 tsp will act like the gluten and keep coconut flour (or any gluten-free flour) to act more like wheat flour. I buy mine from the grocery store, but you can find it online at Amazon or places like that if you kind find it locally.
ReplyDeleteIt's pricey, but most recipes will only call for 1/4 to 1/2 *tsp* per recipe!
Xanthan gum or guar gum will help those pancakes stick together. It's commonly used in gluten-free baking as a substitute for the gluten in wheat flour (which helps to stick things together in baking).
ReplyDeleteI buy it at my local grocery store, but it's available online. The gums are pricey but it only takes a teensy amount (1/4 - 1/2 tsp per batch).
Like someone mentioned upthread, the switch from coconut milk to almond milk could be problematic as most Paleo recipes that use coconut milk use the canned milk, which is high in fat and is almost a cream vs. a milk. Adding more pumpkin puree would probably also help out the consistency and make it thicker and less runny. Finally, the heat is a big deal - if your stove is too hot, it will burn the parts touching the pan without cooking the centers of the pancakes.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the milk substitution is where this went wrong. I'd put my money on the heat being too high. The eggs are the only thing that will hold these pancakes together and they need to set before flipping. Turn the heat down and don't flip until the edges start to look dry. You could also try to sub out part of the milk for an egg white (equal volumes). I
ReplyDelete