Pumpkin Spice Pikelets

If you're looking for a special treat one day may I suggest these pumpkin spice pancakes for breakfast? Based on a Norwegian recipe they've got pockets of sour cream and are flavoured with pumpkin and spice (and everything nice!).

I'm not sure how to describe how good these are except to say that they are one of my favourite pancakes and always wolfed down without hesitation. Mr NQN likes pancakes but only if smothered in syrup or jam really but these already have a built in goodness with dollops of sour cream in them that only a little syrup is necessary.

I also gave a batch to Nina, wondering if they would go straight to Garth. Nina tries to eat gluten free because it sometimes gives her stomach pains although she never quite knows when she will get a bad reaction. I was happy to hear that she loved these and they quickly disappeared.

I usually tease her a bit about her special eating but recently she got a chance to get me back. About a month ago, the four of us went to the Moonlight Cinema in Centennial Park with Mochi. Not knowing what the food situation would be like we bought a big tray of sushi to share.

The light was falling by the time we got to eating. "God this sushi is awful!" I exclaimed screwing up my face. Well Dear Reader, you may have guessed that I tried to chew a piece with sushi grass attached to it (big mistake, huge!). And ever since then whenever we have gone out or ordered sushi together Nina asks me, "Shall I order some extra sushi grass for you?" :P

So tell me Dear Reader, do you always suss out the food situation when you go out? And have you ever eaten sushi grass lol?

Pumpkin Spice Pikelets (Mini Pancakes) With Sour Cream Pockets

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

• 1 cup plain all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sour cream (not low fat)
• Maple syrup to serve

Pumpkin puree is either the tinned variety or as it tends to be expensive in Australia, it is roasted pumpkin that has been pureed. I roast pumpkins whole at 180C/350F until soft and when cool peel the skin off and remove the seeds and puree in a food processor.

Step 1 - Whisk the flour, spices and baking powder together in a medium sized bowl. Whisk or puree the milk, pumpkin puree and egg in a jug. Make a well in the dry ingredients and mix in the pumpkin mixture. Then add in the sour cream stirring gently but try not to dissolve the lumps of sour cream. You want pops of sour cream in every bite.

Step 2 - Heat a frying pan on medium heat and brush or spray with oil or butter. Make small pikelets and fry on one side until bubbles appear and then gently flip them over and cook on the other side. Serve with maple syrup.