Spelt Fluffy Stuffed Pancakes (Dairy Free)

I've been having an affair with pancakes. These particular pancakes, that is. I've been saving this killer recipe to share with the world wide web until Pancake Day, because I discovered them too close to Pancake Day to share them earlier. I must admit, being one of the millions of people posting pancake recipes today, it almost seems like a shame that mine are most likely going to get lost in a sea of pancakes (YUM), but it just feels right to share these with you today.

What's fun about these is that they're kinda like an ad-hoc pancake. I'm granting you with the recipe for the most perfect fluffy spelt (an old old wooden ship ancient grain) pancake batter and you get to use your imagination and 'stuff' it with whatever you please.

I've stuffed these bad boys with pretty much everything but the kitchen sink so far; blueberries and white chocolate, raspberries, cinnamon sugar and banana, chocolate and banana, nutella and banana, banana and banana but my winning ticket has to be the milk chocolate, white chocolate and (of course) banana combo. These three just get on like a house on fire but it's anyones game. Each to their own pancake.

PS. There has never been a more literal meaning of the word 'pancake'. These are fluffy and kinda taste like a cake but are even more like a cake because they're so huge you have to cut cake slice shaped wedges out of them and eat it like a cake.

Here's a little video to sort of show you the 'stuffing' steps: (these are the milk, white and banana ones).



YOU WILL NEED:
2 1/2 CUPS SPELT FLOUR
3 TSP BAKING POWDER
1/2 CUP RAW SUGAR
1 PINCH OF SALT
2 CUPS + 2 TBSP ALMOND MILK (OR MILK OF YOUR CHOICE)
1 TSP CIDER VINEGAR
1 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
2 EGGS 
1 TBSP COCONUT YOGHURT OR REGULAR NATURAL YOGHURT
3 TBSP UNSCENTED COCONUT OIL (REGULAR IS FINE TOO)

TO STUFF:
A HANDFUL OF WHATEVER YOU WANT IN THEM!

FOR THE MILK CHOC, WHITE CHOC, BANANA ONES:
A HANDFUL OF MILK CHOCOLATE AND WHITE CHOCOLATE BANANAS
1 THINLY SLICED BANANA

Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and sugar) in a large mixing bowl. Make sure it's mixed thoroughly.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients except for the coconut oil.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. (You may want to reserve a little of the wet mixture to make sure the batter isn't too runny. You may also want to add a little more almond milk if you want your pancake a little thinner.

Heat a medium sized pan on low heat. Let the pan get hot and then wipe the pan with a greased paper towel so the pancakes don't stick.

With a ladle, spoon 3/4 of ladle of pancake batter into the pan. Let it spread until it fills the flat part of the pan.

When bubbles start to show, gently place your 'stuffing' on top of the batter. Don't add your stuffing too close to the outside of the pancake. Try not to use any big pieces of stuffing or they won't submerge in the middle of the pancake.

When the batter bubbles a little more, top the pancake with another 3/4 of a ladle of the batter. You may need help from a spatula to spread over the pancake fully and you may need to take an extra teaspoon of batter for areas that didn't get covered.

After three minutes or so, the pancake should be getting fluffier and rising and have lots of bubbles. You shouldn't be able to see the 'stuffing' at all. The outer 1.5 centimetres of the pancake should be cooked through and no longer wet.

Using a large spatula, go around the pan and lift the edges of the pancake from the pan.

Once you can get the spatula half way under the pancake, take another spatula and lift the other half of the pancake.

Flip the pancake over. This part might get a little messy. (Batter might get a little on the sides of the pan but that's okay).

Let the other side of the pancake cook for 2-3 minutes and then transfer it to a plate.

Top with icing sugar, more banana and maple syrup.

*You can make these pancakes a day in advance and heat them in tin foil in the oven or in the microwave.

Enjoy and Happy Pancake Day!