Orange Yogurt Hotcakes

Another recipe from my favourite cookbook, Rebar. There are so many yummy sounding recipes in this cookbook (every single one actually, ex. roasted yam pierogi with smoked gouda, leeks and caraway). A good portion of them are fairly time consuming so it will take me a while to get through them all, but I will - happily munching all the way. These pancakes had a really wonderful orange flavour, and I like the use of yogurt in them. The big problem though is that they're not light and fluffy pancakes. In fact, the middle part of the pancake remains at least somewhat gooey, even when the pancake is cooked for a long time. I tried to make really thin pancakes and that didn't seem to help much. Not sure if that's just the way these pancakes are, or if there was something I could've done to make them fluffy inside. The taste is really good though so I would make them again.

I don't make pancakes very often, and I really shouldn't make them for dinner when they're the only thing that I'll be eating, but it takes eating a few pancakes to remember that and by then it's too late. Mental note to self about pancakes. Anyway, I ended up freezing a lot of these ones, and they taste really good reheated in the toaster oven.

Orange Yogurt Hotcakes
(from the Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook)
Serves 3-4

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour*
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
zest of 1 orange, minced
1/2 cup fresh orange juice**
1 tbsp butter, or oil for cooking

*I used 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour.
**I used the juice from the orange I zested, and then topped it up with a mango strawberry juice.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add the liquid ingredients to hte eggs ands tir well to combine. Add the wet mix to the dry mix and gently fold them together. Let the batter rest fo ra few minutes as your griddle heats up to 350F.

Brush the griddle with a light coat of oil or butter and use a 1/3 cup measure to ladle the batter onto the pan. Cook until small bubbles appear on the uncooked surface and the edges begin to dry. Flip the cakes ove rand cook a few minutes more.