Celis Raspberry Pancakes

Known by many names around the world (pancakes, hotcakes, griddlecakes, flapjacks, crepes, and drop scones to name just a few) the pancake takes many forms, uses many ingredients, and comes in many sizes. From sweet to savory, they are enjoyed in some form by pretty much every culture around the world and have been gracing our tables for centuries. I mean, who doesn't love a good pancake?

So, with all of these variations of the classic recipe, why add beer to the pancake batter? A couple reasons, actually -- first, it adds a nice, sweet maltiness to the flavor and second, the carbonation in the beer adds air to the batter, making it lighter and fluffier. Furthermore, if you use a good ‘live’ beer (aka bottle conditioned) the yeast adds even more flavor and lightness.

To make my version, here's what you're going to need:

1 egg

1 cup self-rising flour

1/2 cup Celis Raspberry beer

1/2 cup whole milk

Unsalted butter (to cook with)

Maple syrup, fresh raspberries, whatever other toppings you like

Now, before we get started, you may be asking, "Beer and milk?" Trust me, this combination works like magic (*as long as you don't use buttermilk). And no, it doesn’t end up tasting like a beer!

Okay, now let's get started..

1) In your mixer with the whisk attachment, add the egg, flour, beer and milk, and whisk until combined (you can easily do this by hand).

2) Melt the butter in a heavy based frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the batter, around ½ a cup at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan; do 1 or 2 at a time. When small bubbles start to appear on the top of the pancakes they are ready to be turned. Cook for a further 45 seconds or until browned on the bottom and remove. Continue this process until all the pancakes are done.

When they start to look like this...

Grab your spatula...

And flip!

If things go well, reward yourself for all of your hard work..

Drizzle with the maple syrup and berries and serve immediately.

Once you make pancakes from scratch, you'll see how much better they are than the mixes you buy from the store. Plus, they're so simple and inexpensive to make from basic pantry staples AND it's another excuse to keep a few extra beers around! Enjoy!

*Some people make their pancakes with buttermilk. This does not work in this recipe as the beer curdles the buttermilk.

For those of you who do not know what buttermilk is…

Buttermilk was originally the liquid left over from churning butter from cream. In modern times it refers to a lightly fermented milk product made from adding bacterial cultures during the processing of low fat milk. Contrary to its name, buttermilk contains no butter and is low in fat, 2% in fact. Buttermilk is slightly acidic, which reacts with the raising agents in the batter and adds to the lightness of the final product. Buttermilk is easily obtained from your local supermarket.