When I feel like making something quick yet delicious, I turn to caramelized orange pancakes. They are made with ingredients I always have at home, and the zest and juice of the orange really make a difference. The batter is very simple and doesn't require any resting time. For the sauce, I just need to pay attention to the caramel for a few minutes, then I combine everything in the pan, and it's ready. I've made them enough times that I no longer need the recipe by my side.
Quick Info
Total Time: about 40 minutes
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes (pancakes + sauce)
Servings: 8-9 large pancakes
Difficulty: easy
Recipe Type: weekend dessert or for days when you want something special without too much effort
Ingredients
For the pancake batter:
2 eggs
300 ml milk
2 tablespoons oil
1 packet vanilla sugar
zest of one orange
200 g flour
a pinch of salt
For the sauce:
60 g sugar
juice of 2 oranges
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1. In a bowl, crack the eggs and whisk them lightly with a whisk, just enough to combine.
2. Add the milk, oil, vanilla sugar, grated orange zest, and a pinch of salt. Mix gently.
3. Gradually add the flour while constantly whisking. It's important not to add all the flour at once to avoid lumps. I aim for a fluid batter, similar to cooking cream.
4. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and add a tiny bit of oil. Pour in enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan thinly, quickly spreading it out, and cook the first pancake. When the edges start to lift and bubbles form, flip the pancake to the other side. Repeat the process for the remaining batter, yielding about 8-9 large pancakes.
5. For the sauce, place the sugar in a clean pan over low to medium heat. Let it melt without stirring initially, just gently swaying the pan. Once it begins to turn golden, pour in the juice from the two oranges. The sauce will foam at first but will settle down after 1-2 minutes.
6. Add the vanilla extract and stir gently with a wooden spoon until the sugar completely dissolves in the juice. Let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes until it becomes slightly syrupy.
7. Fold each pancake, usually into quarters, and add them one by one to the pan with the sauce. Turn them a few times to coat them with the orange caramel.
8. Serve the pancakes warm, drizzled with the sauce on top. Optionally, you can add orange slices, strawberries, or whipped cream if you have them on hand, but they are also delicious on their own.
Why I make this recipe often
It's quick to make and doesn't require special ingredients. The flavor is different from classic pancakes due to the orange, and the sauce is easy to prepare. It works well as a Sunday dessert or as a sweet breakfast when I'm in the mood for something sweeter.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Don’t let the caramel burn, or it will become bitter. As soon as the sugar turns golden, add the orange juice immediately.
- If the pancake pan is non-stick, you don’t need much oil for each pancake; you can just grease it at the beginning.
- Use untreated orange zest (wash the fruit well).
- The batter doesn’t need to rest, but if you want even fluffier pancakes, you can let it sit for 15 minutes.
Substitutions
- Vanilla sugar can be replaced with a little vanilla extract if you don't have packets.
- The vanilla extract for the sauce is not essential but adds a pleasant note; if you don’t have it, use vanilla sugar or omit it.
- If you don’t have oranges, the recipe won’t be the same, but you can try using lemons, although the flavor will be more tart.
Variations
- You can add orange slices directly into the sauce after the caramel has melted.
- The pancakes can also be served cold, but I prefer them warm, as the sauce seeps in better.
- If you want a thicker sauce, let it simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes after adding the juice.
Serving Ideas
- They can be served with fresh fruit or whipped cream.
- They also go well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but simply drizzling them with orange sauce is sufficient.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I make the pancakes ahead of time and reheat them at the end?
Yes, you can make the pancakes a few hours in advance and then reheat them directly in the orange sauce. I don’t recommend keeping them for more than a day, as they lose their texture.
2. Can I use store-bought orange juice?
It’s best to use freshly squeezed juice. Store-bought juice can be too sweet or diluted and doesn’t provide as much flavor.
3. What type of flour should I use?
Regular all-purpose flour (type 000) works well. If you use whole wheat flour, the pancakes will be denser.
4. Can I make the sauce without sugar?
Sugar is essential for caramelization; without it, the sauce will just be heated orange juice, not caramelized.
Nutritional Values
Estimated, one caramelized orange pancake has about 180-210 kcal, depending on how much sauce you use. In total, one serving provides about 5-6 g of protein, 32-35 g of carbohydrates, and 5-6 g of fat. The sauce adds extra sugar and carbohydrates. These are approximate values and can vary based on the size of the pancakes or how much sauce each absorbs.
Storage and Reheating
Plain pancakes can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for a maximum of 1-2 days. Once placed in the sauce, it’s best to eat them while warm. Upon reheating, the texture becomes slightly softer, but not necessarily unpleasant. To reheat, place them in a pan over low heat for a few minutes, covered with a lid. Freezing is not recommended.
Quick Info
Total Time: about 40 minutes
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes (pancakes + sauce)
Servings: 8-9 large pancakes
Difficulty: easy
Recipe Type: weekend dessert or for days when you want something special without too much effort
Ingredients
For the pancake batter:
2 eggs
300 ml milk
2 tablespoons oil
1 packet vanilla sugar
zest of one orange
200 g flour
a pinch of salt
For the sauce:
60 g sugar
juice of 2 oranges
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1. In a bowl, crack the eggs and whisk them lightly with a whisk, just enough to combine.
2. Add the milk, oil, vanilla sugar, grated orange zest, and a pinch of salt. Mix gently.
3. Gradually add the flour while constantly whisking. It's important not to add all the flour at once to avoid lumps. I aim for a fluid batter, similar to cooking cream.
4. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and add a tiny bit of oil. Pour in enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan thinly, quickly spreading it out, and cook the first pancake. When the edges start to lift and bubbles form, flip the pancake to the other side. Repeat the process for the remaining batter, yielding about 8-9 large pancakes.
5. For the sauce, place the sugar in a clean pan over low to medium heat. Let it melt without stirring initially, just gently swaying the pan. Once it begins to turn golden, pour in the juice from the two oranges. The sauce will foam at first but will settle down after 1-2 minutes.
6. Add the vanilla extract and stir gently with a wooden spoon until the sugar completely dissolves in the juice. Let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes until it becomes slightly syrupy.
7. Fold each pancake, usually into quarters, and add them one by one to the pan with the sauce. Turn them a few times to coat them with the orange caramel.
8. Serve the pancakes warm, drizzled with the sauce on top. Optionally, you can add orange slices, strawberries, or whipped cream if you have them on hand, but they are also delicious on their own.
Why I make this recipe often
It's quick to make and doesn't require special ingredients. The flavor is different from classic pancakes due to the orange, and the sauce is easy to prepare. It works well as a Sunday dessert or as a sweet breakfast when I'm in the mood for something sweeter.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Don’t let the caramel burn, or it will become bitter. As soon as the sugar turns golden, add the orange juice immediately.
- If the pancake pan is non-stick, you don’t need much oil for each pancake; you can just grease it at the beginning.
- Use untreated orange zest (wash the fruit well).
- The batter doesn’t need to rest, but if you want even fluffier pancakes, you can let it sit for 15 minutes.
Substitutions
- Vanilla sugar can be replaced with a little vanilla extract if you don't have packets.
- The vanilla extract for the sauce is not essential but adds a pleasant note; if you don’t have it, use vanilla sugar or omit it.
- If you don’t have oranges, the recipe won’t be the same, but you can try using lemons, although the flavor will be more tart.
Variations
- You can add orange slices directly into the sauce after the caramel has melted.
- The pancakes can also be served cold, but I prefer them warm, as the sauce seeps in better.
- If you want a thicker sauce, let it simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes after adding the juice.
Serving Ideas
- They can be served with fresh fruit or whipped cream.
- They also go well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but simply drizzling them with orange sauce is sufficient.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I make the pancakes ahead of time and reheat them at the end?
Yes, you can make the pancakes a few hours in advance and then reheat them directly in the orange sauce. I don’t recommend keeping them for more than a day, as they lose their texture.
2. Can I use store-bought orange juice?
It’s best to use freshly squeezed juice. Store-bought juice can be too sweet or diluted and doesn’t provide as much flavor.
3. What type of flour should I use?
Regular all-purpose flour (type 000) works well. If you use whole wheat flour, the pancakes will be denser.
4. Can I make the sauce without sugar?
Sugar is essential for caramelization; without it, the sauce will just be heated orange juice, not caramelized.
Nutritional Values
Estimated, one caramelized orange pancake has about 180-210 kcal, depending on how much sauce you use. In total, one serving provides about 5-6 g of protein, 32-35 g of carbohydrates, and 5-6 g of fat. The sauce adds extra sugar and carbohydrates. These are approximate values and can vary based on the size of the pancakes or how much sauce each absorbs.
Storage and Reheating
Plain pancakes can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for a maximum of 1-2 days. Once placed in the sauce, it’s best to eat them while warm. Upon reheating, the texture becomes slightly softer, but not necessarily unpleasant. To reheat, place them in a pan over low heat for a few minutes, covered with a lid. Freezing is not recommended.