Date Pancakes Recipes

DATE PANCAKES

Steps:

• Make the stewed dried fruit: Place apricots, pears, prunes, figs, raisins, lemon zest, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Make the pancakes: Place dates in a glass measuring cup and add hot water; let stand for 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender or a food processor, puree until some small pieces remain.
• In a bowl, sprinkle yeast over lukewarm water; let stand 5 minutes. Add date puree along with eggs.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add date mixture, mixing until well combined. Let rest 20 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Using a 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop, drop batter into skillet. Use an offset spatula to spread batter out into 2 1/2-inch rounds, and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat process with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and batter. Serve pancakes with yogurt, stewed fruit, and a sprinkling of scallions.

BIRTHDAY PANCAKES

Steps:

• For the topping: Heat the heavy cream, maple syrup, cream cheese, vanilla and kosher salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking frequently to break up and smooth out the cream cheese, until the mixture just begins to bubble, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover and keep warm.
• For the pancakes: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and fine salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the milk, butter, eggs and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Add the milk mixture and sprinkles to the flour mixture, and fold until just incorporated (it's okay if there are some lumps).
• Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat, add about 1/2 tablespoon butter and let melt. Pour 1/4-cupfuls of batter onto the hot skillet, and cook until the pancakes are lightly golden on the bottom and bubbly on the top, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the pancakes, and cook until lightly golden on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the pancakes to serving plates, stacking them on top of each other if desired, and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Pour the topping over the stacks, and top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkles. Add a birthday candle if you like, and serve the remaining topping on the side.

DATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan. In a saucepan, combine water and raisins. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped dates and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour, salt and date mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven, and set oven to Broil.
• Make Topping: In a saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir in brown sugar, cream and chopped nuts. Spread mixture over warm cake and place under broiler until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Watch carefully - it burns easily under the broiler. Cool before serving.

JACOB'S PANCAKE-BATTERED DATES

Steps:

• Heat a small nonstick skillet on medium-high heat and add enough oil so a date can just float in it.
• Whisk milk, egg, and melted butter together in a large bowl. Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a second bowl. Whisk flour mixture into milk mixture to make a pancake batter.
• Test if oil is hot enough by adding a drop of batter to the oil: batter should rise to the top and bubble around the sides, browning within 5 to 10 seconds.
• Dip 3 to 4 dates in the pancake batter until evenly covered and carefully place into the hot oil. Wait a few seconds for them to start browning, turning occasionally so they fry evenly. Fry until golden brown, but not burnt, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dates and batter.