Sweet Potato-Mochi Pancakes

March 8th, 2011 by justJENN

It’s Fat Tuesday aka Shrove Tuesday aka Pancake Day!

I first made these back in December when the kids were on winter break and on a pancake kick – as in pancakes all day everyday for breakfast AND dinner.

Pancakes are so easy because it’s just one bowl and the kids love to help with the mixing. Sweet potato and mochi go together really well in dessert form, so I thought it’d also make for a perfect pancake!

ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup mochiko flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 sweet potato, mashed
1 egg
1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon melted butter

Mochiko is a fine rice flour, and what gives mochi it’s familiar ‘chew’. You can find it in Japanese markets or online. I use it in lots of desserts and savories and it’s a very fun and versatile ingredient.

Start by roasting your sweet potato. Prick it with a fork and place it on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for one hour. When it comes out the skin will peel off easily. Mash it with a fork or a masher and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, mochiko flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon.

Add the mashed sweet potato, egg, milk (you may not need all of it depending on the consistency!), vanilla and butter. Stir to combine, making sure all the flour is dissolved. If the mixture is a bit thick, add a little more of the milk.

Ladle the batter into a hot pan (how to make perfect pancakes, here). When bubble form, flip them over and cook until done. Darth Vader totally photobombed this shot. I think he loves pancakes. Evil pancakes.

The sweet potatoes add a nice flavor to the pancakes and together with the mochi, you get a nice hefty chew. I make an extra batch of these and freeze them for mornings when the kids DEMAND hot pancakes and I am still wiping the sleep out of my eyes. A few minutes in the microwave and they taste just as fresh as the day I made them!