Double Chocolate Banana Pancakes

Ever since he was very little chocolate has been a great motivator for the Monkey. Adding and subtracting with M & M's between 2 and 3 years of age? He did it as long as he got an M & M or two. Potty training at the age of 3 with no accidents really? Yeah, every time he went he could help himself to the little jar of Hershey's Kisses on the table. Until recently, you could get him to do most anything with the reward of chocolate. He still loves it, but at the ripe old age of 6 1/2 is a little more contrary about doing things. :) This love of chocolate is why you will see a lot of chocolate based recipes here. Just as an fyi!

The original idea for these came from the Monkey himself. We were talking pancake flavors, and he mentioned banana with chocolate chips. I took it and ran from there to the Ratio Rally inaugural post on pancakes over at Gluten Free Girl. Having had things go correctly with the quick bread ratio I knew that I wanted to make this recipe using a ratio as well. I may never bake any other way again. With ratio in hand, I started looking for ideas.



Have you noticed a tiny love affair with my bag of teff? Yeah, I have really been enjoying finding ways to incorporate it into our baked goods. Chocolate seems to be a sure fire way to do that. In my looking I was finishing up my visits to all the great bloggers who participated in the Quick Bread Ratio Rally. My flour combo came from Gluten Free in the City, and the idea for the caramelized banana (first photo) was "borrowed" from A Baking Life. I have got to say the combo of flours and the lusciousness of the caramelized banana was satisfying enough in its batter form, but the pancakes were to die for.

Double Chocolate Banana Pancakes
50 grams teff flour
30 grams brown rice flour
20 grams potato starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 egg
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 Cup caramelized banana
1 ounce melted better
Enjoy Life chocolate chips

Caramelized Banana:
1 banana (overripe, under-ripe, just right, it doesn't matter)
1/4 Cup sugar
1/2 Tablespoon butter

Combine flours, starch, baking powder, cocoa and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk together, and set aside. Time to cook your banana. In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the sugar. You should stir it frequently, and have the sliced (or ready to break into pieces) banana and butter at hand to add once the sugar has melted so you don't burn it. Nothing appetizing about burnt caramel. Keep stirring and breaking up the banana until it is completely melted as well. Pour it off into a glass measuring cup to ensure the correct amount. Let it cool. While it is cooling, mix your egg and melted butter together. Add all wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined. Add a handful or two or three of chocolate chips to the batter, and stir to combine.

Cook in a frying pan (or on a griddle if you are lucky to have one) coated with your choice of non-stick ingredient over a medium heat. I tend to use canola oil as with just spray my pancakes stick and fall apart. It gets ugly. I used about an 1/8 cup batter for each one, and flipped them after bubbles started to appear on the tops. I then flatten them a bit to get a slightly wider pancake, which is probably why they aren't "pretty." Makes about 12 medium pancakes.