pancakes, eggs and beer for breakfast...?

Inspired by the back of a maple syrup jar from Ommegang Brewery, these pancakes made the perfect brunch for an otherwise crappy, rainy, Sunday morning.

The bottle of syrup in the fridge was (from Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown, NY) suggested enjoying the syrup with some apple pancakes made with their Hennepin ale, which being without, I swapped out with Peace Tree's Blonde Fatale Belgian style ale. 

 

The pancakes and eggs were both fried in small amounts of coconut oil, making ever so slightly crisped edges on both, contrasting nicely with the soft custardy middles of each. Hints of fruit and just a bit of spiciness from the Belgian yeast pair nicely with the cakes & egg, without being too hoppy.

Stopping here would have sufficed. A savory breakfast and a cuppa coffee. Done.

But the lure of the sweet maple syrup couldn't be denied and soon these cakes were swimming in some of New York's finest.

This batch makes about 16 3-inch pancakes - a perfect breakfast for you and your favorite Sunday morning brunch guest.

Blonde Fatale Pancakes 

Slightly adapted, and reduced, from Ommegang's Apple Pancakes with Hennepin

Ingredients::

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg yolk

3/4 - 1 cup Peace Tree Blonde Fatale or Ommegang Hennepin Ale

1/2 tablespoon melted coconut oil, plus more for cooking

1 egg white, beaten to soft peaks

2 fried eggs

Maple syrup

To prepare::
Mix flour, salt and sugar into a small bowl. Make a well in the center and add the egg yolk and 1/2 cup beer. Mix yolk and beer, slowing incorporating the flour. Add coconut oil and 1/4 - 1/2 cup beer until smooth. Use less beer for a thicker pancake and more for thin, custardy cakes. Gently fold in egg white. Let set for 15-30 minutes.
Place a cookie sheet in the oven and heat to 200 degree.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add a small amount of coconut oil to prevent pancakes from sticking. Pour 1/8 cup of the batter into the skillet and cook until small bubble form on the surface, flip and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more, or until both sides are lightly browned. Remove to cookie sheet in oven and continue baking until batter is gone.
Top a short stack with a lightly fried egg and drizzle with maple syrup.