Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

If you like light lemony things, you will love this recipe!!  We have 6 Blueberry Bushes in our yard that must be about 18-20 years old.  They produce an abundance of blueberries in spring when we have winters of heavy rain and this year was a doozy.  They were 3 weeks late this year, on account of a cold winter, but they were abundant!!

On Father's Day, we were getting the first of our blueberries and I usually have a bag on lemons on hand at any given moment, so that's was on the breakfast menu.

I took my Mom's Buttermilk Pancake recipe and amended it by substituting some of the Buttermilk for lemon juice.  The results were tasty.  The surprising part was the fact that instead of 12 pancakes it made 18.  The difference was air.  When the lemon hit the baking powder it expanded in such a awesome way, that the pancakes were light and fluffy.  The typical golden brown outside became sightly caramelized because of the lemon and had a really good flavor. 

The first round was served with Vermont Fancy Grade Syrup but it conflicted somewhat with the lemon.  In the end all they needed were a smear of butter and a dusting of powder sugar.  Wow delicious!!

Preheat your griddle to 375.  In the meantime, place the dry ingredients into a bowl.  1 Cup Flour (or mixture of flours ~ I used all-purpose and whole wheat totaling 1 cup), 1 TBL Sugar, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt, the Zest of 1 Lemon.

I was given a neat juicer for squeezing lemons and limes.  Cut the zested lemon in half and have handy the juicer.  

To a measuring cup add, 3/4 Buttermilk, 2 TBL Canola Oil, and 1 Egg.  Give it a stir.  Juice both halves of the lemon into the mixture.  Add the wet ingredients to the bowl.  Stir with a wire whip until smooth.  Fold in as many Blueberries as you want up to 3/4 Cup.  You will see the batter expand right away.

Spread Crisco on the griddle where you intend to place the pancakes.  I use Crisco because butter has a very low smoke point and will burn and oil doesn't stay put.  Pancakes need to set up and brown quickly and the higher heat helps them rise.  I have found that Crisco offers better results. 

Ladle the desired size, cooking 6 at a time.  I like a short stack of 4 pancakes so I use about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake.  Because of the light nature of this batter, the berries will settle on the bottom.  When ladling, you have to go to the bottom for the fruit.

You are going to turn the pancakes only once.  Once they look done around the edges and the top batter is still wet, flip quickly.  I find I use less butter if I lightly, without deflating the pancakes, add butter to the cooked side at this time.  Once the second side is cooked to your liking, place a stack on a plate and dust with Powdered Sugar.  Serve immediately as they come off the griddle.

NOTE: for a few variations, you can add toasted Nuts or Oatmeal to the pancakes at this time or for a decadent breakfast, Whipped Cream.  In the winter when Raspberries are in season, substitute them!