Description
Soft, fluffy cardamom-scented pancakes served with fragrant orange-flower syrup and chopped pistachios for an elegant dessert-style treat.
Ingredients
- 225 grams caster sugar
- 125 millilitres water
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tablespoon orange-flower water
- 150 grams plain flour
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar (for pancakes)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 pinch ground cardamom
- 3 tablespoons Greek yoghurt or labneh
- About 125 millilitres semi-skimmed milk, plus a little extra if needed
- 1 large egg
- 50 grams butter, melted and cooled, or 3 tablespoons almond oil
- 2 handfuls pistachios, shelled and chopped
Instructions
- Make the syrup first by adding the caster sugar and water to a saucepan over medium heat. Let it come gradually to a boil, swirling the pan gently without stirring.
- Add the lemon juice, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the syrup lightly coats the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the orange-flower water and simmer for 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat, cool, and chill until needed.
- For the pancakes, combine the flour, caster sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and ground cardamom in a large bowl.
- In a measuring jug, stir the Greek yoghurt with the milk until the mixture reaches the 250 millilitre mark, adding a little extra milk if necessary.
- Whisk the egg into the yoghurt mixture, then whisk in the melted butter or almond oil.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until a thick, fluffy batter forms.
- Heat a dry griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat.
- Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake into the pan and shape into rounds with the back of a spoon.
- Cook until small bubbles appear on the surface, then flip and cook the other side until golden.
- Keep the finished pancakes warm under foil while cooking the remaining batter.
- Serve warm pancakes drizzled with chilled or room-temperature orange-flower syrup and topped with chopped pistachios.
Notes
- The syrup can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.
- Greek yoghurt or labneh gives the pancakes a thicker batter and richer texture.
- Almond oil can be used instead of butter for a nuttier aroma.
- The pancakes are best served fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently in a dry skillet or low oven to avoid a rubbery texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 small pancakes with syrup
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
