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What better way to start your morning than with a stack of freshly made pancakes? Quick and simple to make, yet deeply satisfying, our light and fluffy Double Chocolate Pancakes are a melt-in-the-mouth morning pick-me-up you’ll want to return to again and again.
There’s no need to fuss with a Bain Marie (breakfast should never feel like a chore, especially at the weekend); the melted chocolate in this recipe is courtesy of the gossamer-fine, real grated chocolate in our hot chocolate single-serves. Simply sprinkle over and let the warmth of the pancakes do the work.
Best of all, once you’ve mastered this recipe (and your flamboyant flip!) with our recommended Milky 50%, you can make it your own with our ever-growing library of drinking chocolate. Will it be smooth and comforting Salted Caramel or refreshing Mint? Staggeringly creamy, unbelievably vegan* Nutmilk ? Or perhaps Chilli for a wonderfully indulgent morning treat with a hint of warmth. Whichever you choose, your weekend breakfast ritual is about to become exceptionally satisfying…
- 240g plain flour
- 55g cocoa powder
- 45g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 60g unsalted butter
- 350ml whole milk
- 2tsp baking powder
- 1tsp baking soda
- A pinch of salt
- 2 Hotel Chocolat drinking chocolate single-serves (any blend you like – we recommend Milky 50%)
To make the batter:
1.
Combine all the dry ingredients except the single-serve chocolate flakes together in a mixing bowl, sieving in the flour and cocoa powder.
2.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat, then stir in the milk. It should be lukewarm, not hot.
3.
Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk together. Continue whisking as you pour in the milk.
4.
Now add your dry to the egg mixture (keeping the chocolate flakes to one side) and continue to whisk everything together to form a smooth batter.
To cook the pancakes:
1.
Bring a non-stick frying pan to a medium heat. If your pan isn’t non-stick, add a little butter or oil to prevent your batter from sticking.
2.
Use a ladle or spoon to pour your first pancake into the pan – you’ll need around 2 tbsp of batter. Depending on the size of your pan, you may be able to cook a few at a time; just be sure to leave enough space between each one to prevent them sticking together.
3.
Leave to gently cook for a minute or two. When the tops begin to bubble at the centre, sprinkle over 1½ tsp of your chocolate flakes and cover with another thin layer of batter.
4.
Flip the pancake over and cook for another minute or so. Repeat for each one.
5.
Enjoy warm, served with a generous topping of chocolate flakes.
The Character of Cocoa
The flavour of cocoa and the chocolate it produces varies depending on where the cocoa is grown. Different growing regions have different personalities, each pairing well with other ingredients.
Madagascar, Vietnam
Fruit-led flavours, refreshing in the mouth – perfect with fruits, dark meats and game.
Saint Lucia, Trinidad, Java
Complex and multi-layered flavours jostling for position. Goes with pork, chicken and wines.
Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Peru, Ecuador
Roasted flavours, led by mellow notes of roasted nuts. Ideal with fish, eggs and desserts.
Demystifying Cocoa Percentages
The percentages used on chocolate labels can sometimes seem a bit confusing. A 40% milk chocolate, for example, is not made with 40% milk. The percentage always refers to the amount of cocoa used in the recipe, and the rest will either be all sugar (darks) or milk and sugar (milks/whites).
You’ll find higher percentages in dark chocolate recipes, with less in milk, and least in white. Surprisingly, one of the UK’s most famous dark chocolates contains just 39% cocoa, and its milk counterpart only 23%. That means the largest ingredient overall is sugar. We believe this is wrong. We always prefer to use more cocoa in our chocolate for an authentic and satisfying cocoa hit. We put 40 – 70% cocoa in our milk and Supermilk chocolate, and 70-100% in our dark.
Our white chocolate has a much higher cocoa percentage than average, at 36%.
Sugar only costs a tenth of the price of even the cheapest cocoa beans, so it’s no wonder that it is tempting for low – quality makers to use so much of it. But in the world of fine chocolate, deciding on whether to use, say 73% or 75% cocoa in a recipe is the chocolatier’s choice and depends on the quality, character and flavour profile of the bean harvest. In many ways, deciding the cocoa percentage is like deciding the alcohol level in a good wine.
How To Melt Your Chocolate
In a Bain-Marie (recommended)
This traditional method offers a great deal of control. Put your chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn’t actually touch the hot water (or it can burn the chocolate). Heat in the steam for about 2 minutes until fully melted, stirring occasionally.
In a Microwave
Put your chocolate in the microwave on high power for a total of 40-50 seconds, but only in 10 second bursts, stirring in between to ensure it doesn’t burn. Stop when fully melted.
Essential Cocoa Nib Know-How
Knowing how to extract the best flavours from your cocoa nibs is essential to many of our recipes. It’s easy to buy cocoa nibs these days, but they can be of variable quality. Follow our tips below to make sure you get the most flavour possible from your nibs.
Awakening your Nibs
Often your nibs will have a silver grey hue to them as they have oxidised around the outside. This is harmless, but we recommend you grind them vigorously in a pestle and mortar for 30 seconds. You’ll see the nibs turn a gorgeous mahogany brown, their amazing flavour and aroma awoken at the same time.
Soak them in Water
After awakening, the nibs may still be hard and flinty. Soak them in a little hot water (just enough to cover them) for about 20 minutes which will soften them, the soaking liquid can be set aside as a flavoursome stock.
Storing your Nibs
Just like coffee, roasted nibs should be kept in an airtight container. If you are able to source ‘just roasted’ nibs or have made your own, you can freeze them in an airtight container until needed, retaining maximum flavour.
Double Chocolate Pancakes
Your new Sunday ritual: our decedent take on the classic breakfast recipe.
- preparation time: 5 mins
- cooking time: 10-15 mins
- total time: 15 mins
- ease of preparation: Easy
- makes: 12
