Raised Griddle Cakes

This is a very old-fashioned version of cornmeal pancakes which rise overnight. It came to our family via my great grandmother and dates back to the mid 1870s. The cornmeal gives these pancakes a tiny hint of fried mush, a splendid treat that exceeds my patience to make.

Step: 1

In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal and boiling water. Let soak for about 15 minutes. While still warm but not hot, stir in the flour, sugar, milk and yeast. Cover, and let rise overnight in the refrigerator.

Step: 2

In the morning, mix in the eggs, baking powder and salt. If the batter seems too thin, add more cornmeal to thicken it up. If desired, set aside a cupful of batter for the next morning’s batch of griddle cakes (see Cook’s Note).

Step: 3

Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium heat. Spoon pancakes onto the hot griddle, and cook until browned on each side. Serve at once with butter and syrup.

Per Serving: 302 calories; protein 11.2g; carbohydrates 54.1g; fat 4.5g; cholesterol 68.5mg; sodium 470.9mg.

The quality of the flour can make a real deal to your bread. Different brands do vary. Extra-strong or Canadian flours, which are naturally higher in gluten, may give you a best rise than standard dough flours – especially if you’re make wholemeal dough , which not always rise as well as clear bread.

To made this in a dough , add all the ingredients to your breadmaker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A bread first rising can be make in the fridge 24 hours . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great limit , as you can start it night before , then clear it off the next day.