Chocolate Chip Pancakes

The sudden craving for chocolate chip pancakes led me to Joy the Baker.  Her description and photos of her pancakes were just too good to pass up!  The results were not as sweet as I expected, but that could have been because I used bittersweet chocolate chips-- mmmm.  They were still good though, especially with loads of syrup.  I halved Joy's recipe and achieved success; however, I was surprised at the 15 pancakes that resulted in the batter.  Over the top for just one person?  Maybe if that person wasn't me.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes
makes about fifteen 2.5-inch pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (Don't have buttermilk?  Possible substitutions listed below.)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, semisweet or bittersweet
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• cooking oil
• maple syrup (optional)
• confectioners sugar (optional)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg.  Add the buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla.  Mix well before adding flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk the mixture together and fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.  Let the batter set for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a skillet set over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons of oil and allow it to heat. 
3. Using a small ladle, pour about 2-3 tablespoons of the batter into the skillet; my skillet fit 3 pancakes for each batch.  Cook the first side until bubbles form and pop; then, using a spatula, flip the pancakes over to cook for another minute.  Repeat until all the batter is gone.  Serve with maple syrup or confectioners sugar. 

Buttermilk Substitutions (also attributed to Joy the Baker)

1. MILK AND CREAM OF TARTAR: Whisk 1 cup of milk with 1 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar.  To avoid lumps, mix the cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons of milk first; then, add the rest of the cup of milk.
2. MILK AND LEMON JUICE:  In a 1-cup measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.  Top the juice with milk.  Stir and let sit for 2 minutes.