December 15, 2020
Our Christmas adventures in Ohio continued this weekend with a visit to the Cincinnati Nature Center. Kevin and I made reservations to see Light in the Forest late in the evening. The drive to the nature center did take us through some unfamiliar roads, but once we got to the nature center, the staff did a great job ushering us on our way to enjoy the lights throughout the forest. We walked through winding paths and saw some beautiful holiday light projections. The winding trails through the nature center were lit with strands of lights along the pathway. Some of the projections remined us of the time when we ventured out to see BLINK Cincinnati back in 2019. Both Kevin and I were amazed by the detailed projections in the forest. We weaved our way through the winding trails until we reached a pop-up shop attached to the welcome center. Of course, we just had to purchase a tiny Christmas tree in an owl mug designed by a local artist in support of the nature center. Just over 30 minutes later, we had reached the end of our pathway and headed on our way back home. Light in the Forest was definitely well worth our visit and was a great way to enjoy bits of nature during the holiday season. Here are some photos from our adventures through the woods.
By the time we got back home, we were both exhausted. I woke up the very next day with cravings for pancakes. I took the opportunity to make a version of buttermilk pancakes I have been working on perfecting for some time now. My experiments for my white chocolate mixed berry buttermilk pancakes led me to create the most delightful version of buttermilk pancakes featuring white chocolate chips sprinkled into the batter and raspberry jam layered between each pancake. The raspberry jam added an element of fruity, slightly tart sweetness, which complemented the smooth sweetness from the white chocolate chips. Each pancake was fried individually in a pan over medium-low heat and transferred to a cake stand to serve. In between frying each pancake, I spread on a thin layer of raspberry jam while the pancake was still hot. The heat from the pancake helped soften the raspberry jam allowing the jam to seep into the pancake. When all of the pancakes were done frying and stacked to the top, I decorated the stack of pancakes with some frozen blueberries and more white chocolate chips. The end result was a stunning stack of pancakes cooked to perfection. A light drizzle of maple syrup helped bring the pancakes over the top. These pancakes truly are the perfect indulgent treat for breakfast. We couldn’t just have pancakes for breakfast, so I roasted some potatoes in the oven and fried up a few pieces of chicken wings to serve with a side salad for brunch. The indulgent brunch was definitely what we needed to give us the boost to finish putting up the holiday decorations in our home just in time for Christmas.
For the white chocolate and mixed berry pancakes:
(makes 6 pancakes)
· 1 cup all-purpose flour
· ½ teaspoon baking powder
· ¼ teaspoon baking soda
· ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
· 2 tablespoons maple syrup
· 1 cup whole buttermilk
· 1 large egg
· 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
· 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, for frying pancakes
· white chocolate chips
· raspberry jam
· blueberries, for serving
· maple syrup, for serving
Directions:
1) In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Use a fork (or whisk) to stir in the maple syrup. Gradually add the buttermilk and whisk to combine. Add in the egg and whisk until incorporated. Fold in the melted butter.
2) Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Add ½ tablespoon of butter. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop and pour the batter onto the frying pan. Sprinkle in a few pieces of white chocolate chips. Fry the pancake for about 1-2 minutes on the first side. Once the pancake has developed a golden-brown color on one side, flip the pancake over to fry for another minute on the other side. Transfer the cooked pancake to a cake stand. Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam onto the top of the pancake. Repeat the process for the remaining pancakes and jam. Decorate the stacked pancakes with additional white chocolate chips, raspberry jam, and blueberries to your liking. Drizzle on some maple syrup right before serving.
Takeaways: These buttermilk pancakes are the perfect canvas for folding in your favorite fruits, jams, chocolate, and nut butters. Some of my favorite variations include chocolate and strawberry, blueberries and lemon, peanut butter and chocolate, matcha and white chocolate, and Nutella and raspberry jam. The combination of flavors and variations are truly endless.