There’s nothing like the cross-section of a fluffy pillow-like pancake, reeking of some overly airy ethereal quality before you soak it in maple syrup and drench it in other whatnots (Nutella people, where are you). Back to the pillow pancake days. Dreamy, fluffy, soft pancakes are the only sort of pancakes that should exist. Though I’m partial to the odd, flat, crepe-like English pancake, I can only bring myself to have those with lemon juice and sugar when Pancake Tuesday actually comes round, although the tradition itself still lies outside my own realm of habit, let alone desire. After a long week polka-dotted with bouts of stress and self-doubt, a cool and fresh Saturday morning and some yoga was all that was needed to set the mind straight again. These pancakes just so happened to be the icing on top of all of that.

For the sake of simplicity and ease, unlike my previous pillow pancake recipes, this one doesn’t have the buttermilk component, although I’m sure that will also work supremely well here anyway. If you do wish, simply add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup measurement, then fill the rest of the cup with milk, and wait for a couple of minutes to let the milk curdle a little, infusing it with a mild tanginess that complements the raspberries that are added in a little later. Yet, even without this vegan buttermilk mix, the frozen raspberries which melt a little as you cook the batter offers the same effect. Just as how an individual’s nature is a unique variation on the original theme (DNA!), these raspberry peanut butter pancakes are a unique twist on your classic Pancake Sunday (or Pancake Tuesday in the UK if you’re feeling that rebellious).

These go too well with thick plant yoghurt like coconut or soy, maple syrup, and just a touch more peanut butter on the side. More berries too if you wish. If making for a large group of people, after cooking, place the pancakes next to each other on a baking pan and keep them warm in an oven turned on at low heat, before plating and serving.

Raspberry Peanut Butter Pillow Pancakes (makes around 6 medium pancakes)

Ingredients

190g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3 tbsp sugar (white/coconut)

½ tsp fine salt

1 banana, mashed

30g melted unsalted butter

2 heaped tbsp peanut butter (smooth or chunky, that’s up to you)

2 handfuls of frozen raspberries

240ml (1 cup) milk of choice (I used unsweetened soy) 

Directions

First, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Microwave the peanut butter until it becomes soft and drippy. Add the warm peanut butter, mashed banana, milk and melted butter to the bowl, then use a spoon to mix everything until just about evenly incorporated. Finally, add the frozen raspberries and briefly whisk them in until they are evenly dispersed throughout the batter. Heat a pan on medium-high heat and add a pat of butter. Once the butter has melted and is slightly sizzling, turn the heat to medium, then ladle in the pancake batter– half a ladle or 2 heaped tbsp would make for one pancake. Wait a minute or until you can see the edges going a little dry, then flip to cook the other side. Continue ladling and flipping until you have finished up all the batter. Enjoy with yoghurt, more peanut butter and berries, and a drizzle of maple syrup. YUM. Just yum.