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Prep time
8 hours 5 minutes
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Cook time
10 minutes
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Serves
5 to 7
Author Notes
Before this recipe, I considered pancakes junk food. Now I eat pancakes for breakfast most days of the week.
Buckwheat groats, the foundation of this pancake, are not to be confused with buckwheat flour. The groat is the whole seed of the buckwheat plant, most often sold “hulled” to remove its bitter outer layer. Buckwheat flour on the other hand, is ground with the bitter hull of the seed included, and while it has its place, I find it far too earthy to make crowd-pleasing pancakes. Besides being delicious, buckwheat groats are rich in protein, fiber, and a variety of antioxidants. They have a low glycemic index and they are gluten-free.
If you have a sourdough starter and you’re looking for a place to use the discard, add a spoonful to the batter and blend before cooking.
Reprinted from Arty Parties: An Entertaining Cookbook by Julia Sherman. Photos by Julia Sherman. Published by Abrams. —julia sherman
Test Kitchen Notes
This recipe was featured on our cook-along podcast Play Me a Recipe. Listen as Julia blends, flips, and stacks her way through this recipe.
—The Editors
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Ingredients
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1 1/2 cups
(270 grams) hulled buckwheat groats
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1 teaspoon
apple cider vinegar
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Dried or dehydrated blueberries (optional)
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2
dates, pitted
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1/2 cup
(120 milliliters) plain full-fat yogurt
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1/2 cup
(120 milliliters) milk, buttermilk, or almond milk
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4
whole large eggs
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2
large egg whites
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2
ripe bananas
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1 teaspoon
kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon
almond extract
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2 teaspoons
baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon
baking soda
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Ghee or coconut oil, for cooking
Directions
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Do ahead
Add the buckwheat groats to a bowl with the apple cider vinegar and cover with 3 inches (7.5cm) of water. Let stand for 8 hours of overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse until the water runs clear.
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Make the pancakes
If using dried blueberries, soak them in warm water in a small dish to rehydrate for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water and squeeze them dry just before cooking.
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Preheat the oven to 200°F (90°C) and place a baking sheet inside to keep your pancakes warm.
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If your dates are leathery and tough, add them to a small dish and cover with hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes to soften and then discard the water (or add it to your iced tea as a natural sweetener). In a high-speed blender, combine the soaked and rinsed buckwheat, the yogurt, milk, eggs, egg whites, bananas, drained dates, salt, and almond extract and blend until smooth. Add the baking powder and the baking soda and pulse just to combine.
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Place a 10-inch (25 cm) cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the ghee or coconut oil and swirl to coat the pan. Pour a ladle full of batter into the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface of the pancake and the batter begins to dry out (if using blueberries, add them to the pancake now). Flip the pancake and cook on the second side until golden brown. Adjust the heat as necessary and use additional ghee as needed to keep your pancakes cooking evenly. Transfer the pancakes to the oven as you go to keep them warm.
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Serve with Greek yogurt, whipped ricotta, Macerated Meyer Lemon (page 207), Cacao Buckwheat Granola (page 276), or the labneh whipped cream filling from the banana cream pie (see page 80).
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