Raised Buckwheat Pancakes

We had pancakes for breakfast at least twice a week when I was growing up.  Mom could make pancakes in less time than it took for us kids to get dressed for school–and usually we wanted to go.  She would dip two or three cups of flour out of the flour bin, add baking powder, salt and sugar, stir in milk and beat in an egg and some oil.  It was a thin batter that made lacy pancakes we devoured with butter and Karo syrup.

Once or twice a month she would make waffles or other kinds of pancakes, usually on a Saturday or Sunday morning.  One of my favorites was buckwheat pancakes.

Unlike most pancakes, buckwheat pancakes are leavened with yeast instead of baking powder.  They require a little more preparation time than baking powder pancakes, but they are very much worth the effort.  They are light and tender and wonderful with maple syrup and sausage or bacon on a cold morning.  I have had people tell me that they have never liked buckwheat pancakes as they were on their second serving.  Try ‘em.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups milk
2  1/4 tsp. or 1 package active dry yeast
1/4 tsp sugar
1 1/4 cups buckwheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 T molasses
1/2 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 large egg
2 T oil

PROCEDURE:

Start your pancakes the night before you plan to serve them.  Warm the milk to about 105 -110 degrees.  Stir in the yeast, sugar, flours and salt to make a smooth batter.   Cover and let stand overnight at a cool room temperature.  In the morning, mix the molasses and soda with the lukewarm water and beat the egg till lemon yellow.  Then beat the water, egg and oil into the batter.  Let the batter stand at a warm room temperature for about 30 minutes.  Spoon or pour the batter to bake 4 inch cakes on a 350 degree griddle.