Chocolate for dinner: Why not?
By Tali Simon | July 8, 2011
Okay, maybe not all of that confectioner’s sugar was actually needed.
I’m the cook, so what I say, goes.
And if I say we’re having chocolate for dinner — well, that makes it an absolutely logical meal choice.
Tonight was one of those nights. It’s the end of a long week, we’re moving in a few days, and we have a really full Shabbos coming up. (It’ll be really good — Abba’s coming over!! — but very busy.) All of which pointed to the need for a chocolatey dinner.
Luckily, I had a halfway reasonable plan, and it isn’t the first time I’ve used it: chocolate pancakes.
I tried two other (non-chocolate) pancake recipes before this one, and was disappointed with both. I couldn’t imagine why it was so hard to get them right. But then I made Norene Gilletz’s chocolate pancakes, and all was well with the world once more.
Here are 5 things I love about this recipe, other than the taste:
1. I love that it calls for just 3 tablespoons of sugar. This way, I have an easier time justifying the dinner menu.
2. I love how the batter cooks up so well in my nonstick skillet. It’s quick, and it’s not messy. They flip perfectly.
3. I love that it uses up a ¼ cup of cocoa powder at a time. See, I bought a new bag of cocoa after Pesach, thinking it would be great for chocolate milk. (I get myself to drink milk by adding just a bit of chocolate powder…yes, I’m still a little kid.)
Sadly, the powder turned out to be terrible for chocolate milk because the stuff just won’t disintegrate, and I didn’t know what to do with it. Until these pancakes came along.
4. I love dusting them with confectioner’s sugar right before bringing them to the table. It may not be the healthiest touch, but it sure is fun. And I personally believe you should have fun with your food whenever possible.
5. I love being able to eat the leftovers for breakfast. Since I don’t really ever eat a normal breakfast, it’s wonderful to have pancakes waiting for me in the fridge. And they’re not bad cold, either.
When I serve these with scrambled eggs and cut-up melon, it’s a pretty cute dinner. What about you? Do you ever do breakfast for dinner? What are your go-to foods for a laid-back meal?
Tweaked from Norene’s Healthy Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk (or soy milk, for pareve pancakes)
- 2 Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- Optional: vanilla yogurt and/or berries, to garnish
Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add the eggs, milk, water, oil, and vanilla. Whisk together until just smooth and blended. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
2. Spray a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat for 2 minutes or until a drop of water skips on its surface.
3. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the skillet, cooking three pancakes at a time in a 10-inch skillet. Cook the pancakes for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the top. Turn them over with a spatula and lightly brown the other side for 2-3 minutes.
4. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and keep warm, hiding them from your husband so there are some left for dinner. Remember to re-spray the skillet between batches.
- 4 comments • Breakfast • Desserts
- Tagged as: breakfast • chocolate • dessert • dinner • pancakes
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