Recipe: Buckwheat Flapjacks with Hibiscus Honey

the appetizer:

The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook by the Culinary Institute of America presents over 375 recipes for the home chef, including Buckwheat Flapjacks with Hibiscus Honey; Bibimbap (Korea); and Vegetarian Moussaka (with Seitan and Eggplant).

Cookbook

Buckwheat Flapjacks
with Hibiscus Honey

Makes 8 servings

Flavored Honeys and Syrups

You might be surprised at how many different flavors and qualities of honey there are. Maple syrup, real maple syrup, has a light body and an intense flavor. But, like anything else, there are ways to "gild the lily" for something special.

To make a flavored honey or syrup, first measure out 2 cups and put it in the top of a double boiler. It is important to use a double boiler to keep honeys and syrups from scorching.

Next, add flavorings. We used hibiscus flowers for the honey paired with our buckwheat flapjacks, but there are other options. Use the following as a guideline, but do taste the syrup or honey as it steeps. Your ingredients may be stronger or weaker in flavor, so let your palate be the ultimate guide. You may want to add more flavoring than suggested below, or perhaps you'll need to shorten or lengthen the steeping time.

1 cup hibiscus flowers, steeped for 1 hour
1/4 cup orange peel, steeped for 45 minutes
2 tbsp lemon peel, steeped for 45 minutes
1/2 cup lavender flowers, steeped for 30 minutes
2 cinnamon sticks, steeped for 30 minutes
1 cup fruit purée (raspberry or blueberry), steeped for 30 minutes
2 thick slices ginger, steeped for 30 minutes
2 tsp whole cloves, steeped for 15 minutes

Heat the honey or syrup to just below the boiling point (185°F) in a double boiler and keep it at that temperature, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes. Remove the honey or syrup from the double boiler. Add the flavoring of your choice, and let steep according to the times listed. Strain the honey into a clean serving bowl or storage container.

You can keep flavored syrups and honeys on hand in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Serve flavored honeys and syrups slightly warm to really bring out the aroma.

Buckwheat Flapjacks with Hibiscus Honey

Makes 8 servings

Hibiscus Honey has a brilliant ruby color from the hibiscus flowers and a slightly tart flavor that tempers honey's natural sweetness. See the note at left for more about adding different flavors to honeys and syrups.

2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 package)
2-1/2 cups milk, warmed to 110°F
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups buckwheat flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
2 large egg yolks
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup Lemon-Cardamom Butter (recipe below)
1-1/2 cups Hibiscus Honey (recipe below)

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warmed milk and set aside until the yeast foams, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Sift together the flours, sugar, and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the egg yolks and yeast mixture to the well and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

2. Preheat a gas grill to medium. If you are using a charcoal grill, build a fire and let it burn down until the coals are glowing red with a moderate coating of white ash. Spread the coals in an even bed.

3. Once the batter has risen, beat the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into the batter.

4. Preheat a griddle over direct heat on the grill and lightly grease with some of the oil. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter for each flapjack onto the griddle. Turn once, when bubbles break on the upper surface and the bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Finish cooking on the second side, about 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter.

5. Serve the flapjacks accompanied by lemon-cardamom butter and hibiscus honey.

Flip the pancakes once the bubbles have risen to the surface and started to break and the flapjack is golden brown on the bottom. Steep the Hibiscus Honey until it has achieved the color and flavor that you like. Warm the strained syrup slightly before serving to make it easier to pour.

Hibiscus Honey

Makes 2 cups

2 cups honey
1 cup hibiscus flowers

1. Heat the honey to just below the boiling point (185°F) in a double boiler and keep it at that temperature, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes.

2. Remove the honey or syrup from the double boiler and add the hibiscus flowers. Let steep for 1 hour and then strain into a serving bowl or storage container. Store any unused honey in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Lemon-Cardamom Butter

Makes 1 cup

1 cup softened butcer
2 tbsp honey, or as needed
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cardamom)
1/4 tsp grated lemon zest

Mix together the butter, honey, lemon juice, cardamom, and lemon zest until evenly blended. This can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (For more about flavored butters, see page 202 of the book.)

from:
The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook
Over 375 of Our Favorite Recipes for the Home Chef,
Along with Tips and Preparation Techniques
from the Classrooms of the World's Premier Culinary College
by the Culinary Institute of America
Lebhar-Friedman Books 2008
Hardcover; $39.95
ISBN-10: 0867309318
ISBN-13: 978-0-86730-931-7
Recipe reprinted by permission.

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