Chocolate and Orange Scotch Pancakes

When my teens were in their kiddies, they kinda looked forward to having breakfast at the nearest McDonald's outlet on most weekends. Ha ha ! Kids surely love to have meals in Mcdonald's, don't they? ... comfortably plus attractive toys for every kids meal. Well ... pampered them once or twice monthly indulgence in those days. Hot Cakes with maple syrup were their favourite.

Occasionally I do make pancakes on weekends for our breakfast ... the plain ones, Dorayaki etc. Warm pancakes really taste well on its own or with any of these ... served with just maple or chocolate syrup, butter, honey or some fruits to start the day.

Saw the recipe of Chocolate and Orange Scotch Pancakes in one of my cookbooks.

Pancakes in rich creamy orange liqueur sauce, which is something I have yet to make ... hmm must be delicious ... so "Just Do It" !

Some of the prepared ingredients

Chocolate and Orange Scotch Pancakes (cookbook : Martha Day)
Ingredients:
115g self-raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 eggs
50g plain chocolate, broken into squares
200ml milk
Finely grated rind of 1 orange
2 tablespoons orange juice
Butter or oil for frying
4 tablespoons chocolate curls, for sprinkle

For the sauce:
2 large oranges
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons light muscovado sugar (I used 2 tablespoons)
250ml crème fraîche
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Cointreau
Some chocolate curls to decorate

Method:
Step 1) Sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl and make a well in the centre.  Add eggs and beat well, gradually incorporating the surrounding dry ingredients to make a smooth batter.

Step 2) Mix the chocolate and milk in a saucepan.  Heat gently until the chocolate has melted,  then beat into the batter (step 1) until smooth and bubbly. Stir in the grated orange rind and juice. {note: I did step 2 first and set aside the saucepan of melted chocolate and milk}

Step 3) Heat a large heavy-based frying pan or griddle. Grease with a little butter or oil. Drop large spoonfuls of batter on the hot surface {I used an ice cream scoop}.  Cook over a moderate heat. When the pancakes are lightly browned underneath and bubbly on the top, flip them over to the other side. Slide on to a plate and keep hot, make more in the same way.

Bubbly on the top

Step 4) Make the sauce. Grate the rind of 1 of the oranges into a bowl and set aside. Peel both oranges, remove all the pith,  then slice the flesh fairy thinly.

Step 5) Heat the butter and sugar in a wide, shallow pan over a low hear, stirring until sugar dissolved.  Stir in the crème fraîche and heat gently.

Step 6) Add the pancakes and orange slices to the sauce, heat gently for 1-2 minutes, then spoon over the liqueur.

Sprinkle with the reserved orange rind. Scatter over the chocolate curls and serve the pancakes at once.

Dished out onto big serving plate.

Topped with a spoonful of whipped cream or yogurt if you like.

I didn't make any chocolate curls as I do not have enough chunky dark chocolate in the fridge.

So, while having breakfast together with my big boy (my girl was still in bed), I asked him for his comments.  He said "tasted different as the pancakes are not the fluffy type, but like the chocolate flavour with creamy orange sauce."

Ironically, the texture of the pancakes tasted soft but not mushy as I thought it might since cooked in the sauce for 1 - 2 minutes. Nonetheless, the chocolate pancakes absorbed the creamy orange sauce tasted uniquely yummy with complement of the slices orange. As the saying goes "chocolate & orange combo = awesomely delicious" :)

Linky another milk post to Little Thumbs up (May 2014: Milk) organised by Bake For Happy Kids, and My Little Favourite DIY, hosted by Tze of Awayofmind Bakery House

And for the first time, I'm  linking this post to Cook Your Books Event #12  hosted by
 Joyce of Kitchen Flavours