Perfect Pancakes with Butterscotch Sauce

Now I'm not normally a fan of pancakes, personally I've always hated the taste. Until recently a friend and I had breakfast at the restaurant Pancake Manor and the macadamia pancakes blew my mind, they were marvelous! Fluffy and sweet, and their special sauce practically knocked me over.

So what was different about these pancakes? For one, they weren't flat like the usual shake and bake I remember, and two, the flavour was perfect, not too savoury, not too sweet. I was determined to have this recipe for myself! Unfortunately, magicians don't tell their secrets. Alternatively I searched and searched the web and countless recipe books, and I have perfected the ultimate recipe for that perfect pancake! Oh and that special sauce?.. What was that.. I've tasted it before.. I could've sworn I'd made it before.. it drove me crazy until the lightbulb went off- Butter Scotch! 

What You'll Need:

3/4 cup of milk                     

2 tbsp. white vinegar

1 cup of plain flour

2-3 tbsp. white sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2- 1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

2 tbsp. butter, melted. 

Butterscotch Sauce:

3-4 tbsp. butter

3-4 tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 cup thickened cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla essence or extract

1-2 tbsp. icing sugar

Makes 5-7 medium to large pancakes

Method:

1. Combine milk with vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour". I know, I know, what the heck is the vinegar for? It works as buttermilk, basically giving the pancakes that perfect fluffyness, I promise it won't make them sour!

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. 

3. Whisk the egg and melted butter into the soured milk. 

4. Combine the flour mixture and wet mixture, mix well but try not to over-stir, it should be lightly bubbling due to the combination of the vinegar and baking soda. 

5. Pour about 3/4 cup of mixture into a hot frypan and gently spread the pancake, only slightly, it should still be about 1- 1.5 cm deep. Once you see the top of the pancake bubbling, flip it over and cook the other side, but not for too long, I always find the second side will cook much faster than the first. 

Butterscotch Sauce:

1. Melt the butter and sugar overheat until smooth.

2. Add cream, vanilla, sugar, and bring to a light boil for 10-20 seconds, then take off the heat and stir, don't burn. 

3. The sauce should become slightly thicker on standing and is then poured liberally over the pancakes,  if desired, will thicken much more in the fridge.

Tips:

* Dust the pancakes with a bit of icing sugar for extra sweetness. 

* For a twist, at the end of step 4. add something to the batter- Chocolate chips, macadamias, roast hazelnuts, anything really, you're only limited by your imagination! 

* Add a scoop or two of Icecream to your pancakes with butterscotch. 

Enjoy!

Rosie.x 

* Image found through google.