peach melba pancakes

peach melba pancakes

Pancakes that make you cry: a true story. In the summer of 2001, Ryan’s 10-year-old cousin from Bilbao, Spain was visiting the United States with her family for the first time. She didn’t speak a word of english and was nervous for the trip—especially about the “weird” American food she had heard about—and worried she would starve during this two week vacation in Portland, Oregon. On the very first morning, as Ryan’s mom cooked pancakes for everyone, his cousin sat at the breakfast table white as a ghost. She had never seen or heard of a pancake before, and when a fluffy golden stack was set down before her, she immediately burst into tears. Once the initial shock wore off, she took a few brave bites, but had clearly decided that pancakes—and American food—were not for her. Thankfully, she became a bit more comfortable over the course of her stay and managed to escape starvation, so now she’s in her mid-twenties, happy, healthy… and still avoiding pancakes. Another true story is that the recipe we are sharing today had nearly the exact same effect on us—except they were tears of joy! If you love peach melba, prepare your palate for peach melba pancakes and let the peach party continue…

peach pancakes, coming right up!
the raspberry sauce takes about 7 seconds
straining out the seeds to make a smooth sauce
you'll be left with several tablespoons of seeds, which you can discard or plant outside!

…and that is precisely the plan! We have been excited all week because we have a special guest on our live Instagram show today: the talented Haley from Brewing Happiness will be joining us at 12pm PST, and we’ll be making this summery breakfast together live on our show! These pancakes are packed with peaches: scented with vanilla and topped with a tangy raspberry sauce. You can now officially enjoy peach melba for breakfast (you’re welcome), and of course it will be our little secret if you decide to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. It is the weekend, after all.

the secret to easy-peel peaches? A bath in boiling water for 30 seconds, then ice water for 30 seconds
the dry ingredients in one bowl...
...and the wet ingredients in another bowl
this method gives you the softest, fluffiest pancakes imaginable

Making peach melba pancakes is a breeze. The raspberry sauce comes together in literally seconds: you blend fresh berries with powdered sugar and lemon juice, and that’s it. For the pancakes, you mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet in another, then you’re ready to go. And speaking of dreamy breakfasts, we’ve begun discussing ideas with Becky and Christine about planning an Autumn retreat in the gorgeous Santa Ynez Valley, and you are all invited! More on that soon, but all this talk of wine tasting, cooking with friends, and local farm-to-table dinners is getting us excited! If this is something you’re interested in, let us know in the comments below or feel free to send us an email. Fall is just around the corner, so before everything starts turning into pumpkin and spice, we’ll be soaking up the sun, peaching, beaching, and tomato-ing too!

every bite should be filled with peaches
perfectly circular pancakes are overrated
stacked sky high
let it snow

Peach Melba Pancakes
makes 7 to 8 six-inch pancakes

For the raspberry sauce:
3 cups (340g) fresh raspberries
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the peach pancakes:
1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (355ml) buttermilk or kefir
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups (227g) chopped peaches, peeled if desired (see note)
vegetable oil, for the pan

To serve:
fresh raspberries
sliced peaches

To make the raspberry sauce:
Combine the raspberries, powdered sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender, and blend until liquified and smooth. Pour the purée through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or large measuring cup, using a rubber spatula to press the mixture through the strainer. Discard the seeds and set the purée aside.

To make the pancakes:
Preheat oven to 200°F/93°C, and place a plate or wire rack in the oven.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk until blended. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. While whisking, slowly pour in the melted butter. Add the dry ingredients, and stir with a spoon just until blended, being careful not to overmix: the batter should be thick and lumpy, with no streaks of dry flour. Add the peaches, and fold them in gently until evenly combined.

Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat (if using an electric griddle, set it to 350°F/177°C). Test the temperature by flicking a few drops of cold water onto the skillet with your fingers: if the drops don’t move, the pan is too cold. If the drops immediately evaporate, the pan is too hot. If the drops sizzle and dance in the pan for a few seconds before disappearing, you are ready to start making pancakes.

Pour less than a teaspoon of vegetable oil in the skillet, and use a paper towel to rub the oil across the surface and create a thin sheen of oil in the pan. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of batter, and pour it into the center of the pan, using the back of the measuring cup to nudge the batter into a circular shape. Cook until the edges begin to dry out, there are bubbles near the edges that pop and stay open, and there are bubbles in the center of the pancake that pop and close back up. Flip the pancake, and cook until the underside is golden brown. Remove from the skillet, and transfer to the oven to stay warm. Repeat with the remaining pancakes, re-applying oil to the pan as needed. (Note that you will continue to adjust the temperature, raising it if the pancakes are taking too long to cook, and lowering it if the undersides get too dark before the center is cooked.)

Serve immediately, topped with sliced peaches, raspberries, and the raspberry sauce, and enjoy!

note:
— To peel the peaches, first place them in a medium heatproof bowl. Next to that bowl, place a large bowl of ice water deep enough to submerge the peaches. Pour boiling water over the peaches and let them sit for 30 seconds. remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to the bowl of ice water for 30 seconds. Remove them and place on a cutting board. The skin should peel off easily, especially if the peaches are ripe, but if it does not, you can always use a vegetable peeler.

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8 Comments on peach melba pancakes

  1. rebecca | DisplacedHousewife
    June 23, 2017 at 10:59 am

    These look so delicious!! Can’t wait to watch you make them live. AND, so excited about our retreat plans!!! xoxo

    Reply
    • husbandsthatcook
      June 23, 2017 at 6:14 pm

      Yay!! Thanks so much! And yes we are BEYOND excited! It’s all happening!

  2. Becky Sue
    June 23, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    Just watched y’all make these on the Insta Live vid and my mouth is still watering. I cannot wait to try these, they are pancake perfection!

    Reply
    • husbandsthatcook
      June 23, 2017 at 6:20 pm

      Aww yay!! Thanks so much Becky Sue! So glad you caught the video! We are looooving all these summer peaches right now!

  3. Dora
    June 26, 2017 at 7:50 am

    Oh man, you are incredible! Yum! This looks so delicious!

    Reply
    • husbandsthatcook
      June 26, 2017 at 8:09 am

      Thanks so much Dora!

  4. Laura | Tutti Dolci
    June 26, 2017 at 4:33 pm

    That is one gorgeous stack of pancakes! The raspberry sauce is so pretty and now I’m ready to go make pancakes for tonight’s dinner! 😉

    Reply
    • husbandsthatcook
      June 28, 2017 at 11:12 am

      haha pancakes for dinner is the best! So fun!

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