Buttermilk Apple Pancakes

georgehirsch January 18, 2025

Why Buttermilk? Once the acids in the buttermilk come into contact with the baking soda or baking powder in the batter, a giant fizz-fest takes place. The reaction with the baking soda (or powder) cancels out the sourness of the buttermilk, leaving our baked goods airy, tender, and tasty beyond reckoning.

No Buttermilk? No problem, make your own. Read the recipe below:

Buttermilk Apple Pancakes

Makes eight pancakes

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon pure cane granulated sugar

*1 1/4 cups Buttermilk milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, beaten

3 Tablespoons sweet butter (unsalted), melted

1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored, and chopped small

* To make Buttermilk

1 scant cup of whole milk

1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

To make buttermilk:

Measure 1 scant cup of milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.

Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened, and you will see small curdled bits. This substitute will not become as thick as regular buttermilk.

In a large bowl, mix together well with a whisk of all dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar—in a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients; the milk, vanilla, egg, and melted butter.

Add the wet to the dry and stir with a spatula until the dry ingredients have incorporated. There may still be a few lumps. Do not over-mix, or pancakes will become tough.

Preheat a nonstick pan or lightly grease a griddle over medium-high heat at 375 degrees F.

Tip: Test the temperature by dropping a drop of water on the surface of the pan. Water will dance across the surface when at the correct temperature. Test one pancake.

Pour one 1/4 cup scoop of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. If adding any fresh fruit such as apples, bananas, or blueberries, add at this time. You will see bubbles form on the top side when brown on the bottom, flip, and brown on the second side. Serve hot with syrup or your favorite topping.

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Apple Pumpkin Crumb Muffins

George Hirsch November 4, 2024

Seems like yesterday I was driving home from the beach (OK, it was yesterday). But then I passed one of my local farm fields filled with pumpkins. So ready-or-not the season has changed. At home I can still enjoy the best of both seasons on the farm and all the goodness from the farm.

Autumn is one of my favorite food seasons. Here's my seasonal spin on the average apple muffin - add pumpkin and crumb. Great to take on-the-go too. Enjoy!

Apple Pumpkin Crumb Muffins

Makes 18 muffins or 9 x 13 coffee cake

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For the crumb topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup oats, not quick cooking

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 cup melted butter

Mix all sugars, flour, oats and nuts. Pour in butter and mix until topping looks like wet sand. Do not over mix; topping should have a lumpy consistency. Reserve crumb topping and prepare muffin batter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Lightly grease 18 muffin cups or use paper liners.

For the muffins: see recipe below

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour; or 50/50 whole wheat flour

2 cups pure cane granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ginger

Pinch allspice & fresh grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup applesauce, or vegetable oil

2 cups Green or baking apples, peeled, core and chopped into small pieces

In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to until flour is absorbed. Add chopped apples.

Add batter into prepared muffin cups 3/4 filled. Top each muffin with crumb mixture and bake.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

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Banana Blueberry

George Hirsch June 3, 2024

Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 and are a good source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, and manganese.

Blueberries are an antioxidant superfood packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids (compounds that protect our bodies from stress). They are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them a top choice.

My banana blueberry muffin recipe adds some tartness to a sweet banana muffin. It's also a great take-along snack that's better for you than reaching for a candy bar.

Banana Blueberry Nut Muffins

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makes 10-12 muffins

For the Crumb Topping:

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons nuts, chopped

1 Tablespoon sweet butter

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts. Blend butter in with a fork until the mixture is crumb-like.

For the Muffin Mix:

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups, about 3-4 large very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup pure cane granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons honey

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup sweet butter, melted, or replace with part/ all applesauce

Lightly grease 10 muffin cups or line them with muffin papers.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Recipe Directions are below.

In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, honey, egg, cinnamon, vanilla, zest, nuts, and melted butter. Fold in the banana mixture by hand with a spatula into the flour mixture until just moistened.

Place batter into muffin cups filling each cup to three-quarters full. Place a few blueberries, about 1 Tablespoon, on top of each muffin. Divide the crumb topping evenly over the top of the muffin batter.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin; when a toothpick comes out clean or touched lightly, the muffin should have a slight resistance to finger pressure.

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Holiday Breakfast: Popovers & Scrambled Eggs

George Hirsch March 26, 2024

It is said the American style popover originated in Portland Oregon derived from the Yorkshire Pudding origins of Yorkshire county in Northern England. Whether true or not the principle of a good Yorkshire Pudding or Popover derives from using a crepe-like batter dough. To make a popover, change the beef fat drippings (from the roast) to butter- for a more updated flavorful batter. Whatever style you prefer to make, just remember don’t open the oven door and peek in the oven- if you want a tall pop-over from this crepe-like muffin.

Yorkshire Pudding or Popovers are usually served with roasted meats. A dear friend recently shared with me that he serves popovers with scrambled eggs for breakfast or brunch. Great idea!

Popovers & Yorkshire Pudding

Makes 12 popovers

Adapted From Adventures in Grilling Cookbook

by George Hirsch with Marie Bianco

5 Tablespoons butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1 cup all-purpose flour

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg and black pepper

Optional: 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme, rosemary or chives

Grease and flour a 12 cup muffin or popover pan. Add a teaspoon of melted butter to each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan.

Mix flour, eggs, milk, 1 Tablespoon melted butter, sugar, and salt. Beat in the flour a little bit and add herbs if using; the mixture should be smooth. Do not over mix the batter, or the gluten will overdevelop, and the popovers will be tough. Let batter rest for fifteen minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place empty/ unfilled muffin pan in a hot oven to preheat the pan for two minutes or until smoking hot.

Carefully remove the hot muffin pan from the oven and fill each cup halfway. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 15-20 minutes more, or until popovers are puffed and browned.

Remove Popovers from pan immediately and serve hot.

Tips:

If serving scrambled eggs with popovers, begin to cook eggs 5 minutes before removing popovers from the oven.

Do not open the oven to check popovers until they have baked for at least 30 minutes.

To test for doneness, tap the outside of Popover; it should sound hollow.

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Shrove Tuesday

George Hirsch February 12, 2024

aka…Pancake Tuesday. Since approximately the 12th century, this celebration marks the days preceding lent by using valuable ingredients like eggs, milk, and sugar; hence cooking up pancakes or the thin pancake, the crepe.

Pancakes are one of the earliest forms of bread and are served geographically in many ways. You can be all traditional with baking powder or try prospecting with sourdough pancakes like the early pioneers. Flip them with oatmeal or buckwheat when in Vermont, or for a Dutch-style treat, serve with lemon, powdered sugar, and jam. Substitute the flour for cornmeal, and you’ll enjoy it as a Native American specialty.

Go Pollack by designing your pancake creations with sliced apples, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, chocolate chips, and chopped nuts.

Berry Crepes

Makes four servings

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2 cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)

¼ cup raspberry jam

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch salt

1 cup milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

2-3 drops of vanilla extract

2 egg whites

1 Tablespoon granulated cane sugar

Confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup freshly whipped cream

8 Fresh mint leaves

Place the flour and salt in a medium bowl and slowly add the milk and egg yolks, using a whisk to avoid lumps. Stir in the cream, melted butter, and vanilla.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Before making the crepes, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the flour mixture.

Preheat a 6-inch nonstick skillet & spray with vegetable spray. When the pan is very hot, pour in 2 Tablespoons of the batter and swirl it around. Cook for 1 minute, turn and cook another minute on the other side. Remove and set aside.

Continue making crepes with the remaining batter.

Spread two teaspoons of raspberry jam in the middle of each crepe, and add a few mixed berries.

Roll up and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

Serve two crepes per serving with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, and top off the crepes with fresh mint leaves.