I’ve always been a breakfast for dinner kind of girl. I just can’t deal with heavy or sweet foods first thing in the morning. They weigh me down and make me sleepy while I’m supposed to be waking up. Doughnuts at work? No thanks, I’ll save one until the afternoon. But this doesn’t mean I don’t love traditional breakfast food. Quite the contrary. I love big breakfast meals where the maple syrup from my pancakes runs directly into my eggs and bacon. I love going to a diner and ordering thick cut challah French toast. I’ll take doughnuts, muffins and hash browns. Really, it’s all good to me.
The idea of bacon pancakes hit me one day. Since I’ve always dipped my bacon in the maple syrup, why not combine the two and see how they turn out? Brilliant. Because these were already really healthy, I decided to make maple whipped cream for the top in lieu of syrup. I also used candied bacon for garnish. AND I decided to add cornmeal to the batter because that just sounds awesome.
These pancakes were a great excuse to test a new product for KitchenAid. They asked me to review their new 5-Speed Hand Blender and I was happy to oblige.
The kit includes:
- hand blender base
- attachments: an 8″ removable stainless steel blending arm with a stainless steel S-blade, a multipurpose blade, and a frother beater bell blade
- 1-liter, BPA free pitcher
- Whisk and BPA free chopper attachments
- Removable pan guard
- 3 bell blade assembly covers
- Storage container
I love the storage container. Look how organized everything is! I don’t have a lot of storage space at the moment so I definitely appreciate the compact design.
2012 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved
To make the maple whipped cream I used the pitcher (which has handy measurements on the side) and the whisk attachment. This was a lot easier and less messy than using my stand mixer.
2012 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved
After whipping the cream to a stiff peak, I was able to put the pitcher directly in the refrigerator to chill until needed. And after I finished preparing the pancakes I was able to place the pitcher and whisk attachment into the dishwasher, something I don’t like to do with my stand mixer. And let me tell you, my kitchen is such a disaster after making pancakes that I’m thrilled to have less dishes wherever possible.
Next, I tested the mini-chopper attachment. After cooking and cooling the bacon I added it directly into the chopper. How did it do?
2012 © copyright Savory Simple, all rights reserved
See for yourself! Perfect bits of chopped bacon for my pancakes and garnish. I wanted the pieces a bit chunky but the bacon could have been chopped much finer if that had been my preference.
All in all I think this is a great product. The design is sleek and it takes up very little storage space considering how much you get. I can’t wait to continue testing the attachments!
Ingredients
- 5 slices thick cut bacon (or 8 slices regular)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375. Spread bacon out on a baking sheet. Brush one strip with 1 tablespoon (approximately) of maple syrup. Bake until cooked through. My thick cut bacon took 30 minutes. Thin cut bacon will take less time (start checking on it after 20 minutes).
- While the bacon is cooking, whip together the heavy cream and maple syrup. Set aside in the refrigerator.
- When the bacon is ready, allow it to cool for a bit and then use a paper towel to remove some of the excess fat (a little bacon fat never hurts anything.) Chop up the bacon into small pieces, keeping the regular and candied bacon separated. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add the eggs and buttermilk and whisk until the mixture is just combined. Some lumps are fine.
- Stir in the non-candied bacon. You should have approximately 1 cup. A bit more or less is fine.
- Heat a griddle pan and brush it with either vegetable oil or high heat cooking spray. Ladle the batter onto the griddle and flip the pancakes when they start to bubble. Cook for an additional minute.
- Serve pancakes topped with the maple whipped cream and candied bacon bits. I also garnished with some powdered sugar and cinnamon (optional).
Notes
This recipe makes enough maple whipped cream to top each pancake. If you're serving stacks you can cut the heavy cream and maple syrup quantities n half.
Wow, that’s one gorgeous stack of pancakes. Love the maple whipped cream! The blender looks amazing too.
All of the KitchenAid tools are amazing. It seems I can never have enough toys.
I want these right now! I LOVE maple and bacon – which is a weird combo in the UK – your photos are wonderful!
Thanks! It’s the whole sweet and salty thing. It’s an addicting combination!
Wow I love these polenta pancakes never had polenta pancakes before but love how they got fluffy here. I don’t eat bacon but will def. bookmark these for our Sunday breakfast tradition!
It’s the baking powder/soda that makes them really fluffy. These would still be good without the bacon!
I am so jealous of you and that hand blender! I use my hand blender all the time but, sadly, it’s only one speed. The recipe sounds great, too.
All of the different blending attachments are really cool. I can’t wait to try the milk frother. I’ve always wanted to make cappuccinos at home.
maple whipped cream and a fun handheld blender and great looking pancakes? this is a trifecta of wins :)
Another yeee haw, yummilicious recipe, Jen! You know my affinity for bacon, so there really isn’t any further discussion necessary. I simply must make these… NOW :)
Great looking Kitchenaid appliance, too!
Holy cow, Jen! This looks AWESOME. Bacon + maple are an awesome combination, always. And in a breakfast fave like pancakes? Even better!! I’m imagining French toast, donut and waffle possibilities as we speak :)
Oooh, these pancakes look so gorgeous…and I’m sure they taste even better!
OH MY GOODNESS! What a wonderful flavor combo. We will be trying these for sure!
I’ve made the bacon/pancakes but never thought to put the syrup in the batter.. even more yumminess!! Aren’t you so lucky you’ve got chosen to try out such a cool immersion blender.. I could have used one of those yesterday with my jam! xx
um, this is genius! a seriously awesome recipe!
Ohh, these look so additively yummy! I like light, yet sweet things in the morning. I save all dairy and butter for dessert after dinner so it doesn’t weigh me down all day long.
Your beautiful pancakes have me wondering why I have yet to use polenta in pancakes my friend – they look thick fluffy and wonderful! :D
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I must say that the recipe sounds great…and I want the hand blender! :-) What a great tool!
Oh what a yummy treat… I dont mind having breakfast in the evening :D
The blender set and its accessories is epic… easy storage and tidy, in my case less time spend looking for bits and bobs :P
my husband always makes maple bacon and pancakes are my favorite, so this breakfast/dinner sounds awesome! we had breakfast food served at our (evening) wedding reception, so you know we’re breakfast addicts any time of the day!
Bacon and maple syrup in pancakes…Whoa! A real winner! I love healthy and delicious breakfast options. This is definitely something I will try…I love your photo ;)
Anyhoo, we have just recently launched a food photo submission site, http://www.yumgoggle.com/gallery/ that allows you to showcase all your great work and share it with all of our visitors. Your phenomenal photos have caught our attention. We’d be proud to have your work as part of our growing collection to continue to have a larger reach and further inspire all fellow food lovers out there! (sorry for the blatant shameless plug)!
this would make a fab brunch on a weekend they look amazing
Moar bacon please
Jen, you’re a woman after my own heart. I love breakfast for dinner and just can’t handle it in the morning! Have you ever tried bacon jam? I have a recipe for it and I think you might like it ;)
I have not! I’m off to find the recipe!
You had me at bacon, and then really won me over with polenta. Happy sigh. This looks amazing. I recently saw someone make bacon waffles…helloooo…genius. I also really like this hand blender mostly due to that wonderful storage box. Boy, do I need that. I’m always hunting my messy cabinet for the missing attachments.
These pancakes look phenomenal!
these would be a HUGE hit at my household!!
xo
http://allykayler.blogspot.ca/
Words cannot convey how scrumptious these pancakes look to me on right now, at 8:30 in the evening. (So glad to know that I’m not the only one who enjoys breakfast for dinner!) Also, my KitchenAid wishlist has expanded. Again. Thank you. :D
Ooh! Polenta pancakes sound great! As does the maple whipped cream! I must make these for the weekend! It would be a big hit in my house. :)
As long as there’s bacon, right?
Bacon in anything seems to be a trend, lately – and I have no doubt this was delicious. I am sure your new hand blender will make a mean homemade mayo, too! That is what I use mine for.
:)
Valerie
If I had these tools, I’d be baking all day long lol. But I love how you incorporated the bacon in this dish. Absolutely delicious!
I’m an total lover of breakfast for dinner too, and these pancakes look fantastic! I could eat the maple whipped cream by the spoonfull.
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These look delicious.
Oh wow what a combination! I love that you made them extra healthy with the whipped maple cream on top.
One stop shopping in a pancake – now that’s my kind of pancake!
We do breakfast for dinner at least once a month. It’s a perfect “no thinking” meal. :)
Jen, these look so good – I think I know what we’re having for breakfast tomorrow! The whipped cream – divine! Love the KitchenAid blender!
I’m a breakfast for dinner kind of gal too! And these pancakes look AH-MAZING! I will definitely be making these come Sunday brunch :)
What a fantastic idea! I know quite a few bacon lovers who would be very happy if I made a plate of these pancakes (myself included) I would love to have this for dinner tomorrow night. Thank you for sharing! Now off to dream delicious dreams!
Polenta pancakes with ample whipped cream sounds like heaven! The photograph is beautiful!
I have a weakness for pancakes so when I saw the stack in your picture, I had to scoot over and drool. I love how you put the polenta in it. I have a lot in my cupboard so this recipe will definitely be useful for me! Oh, and I love the Kitchen Aid stuff and that they can be stowed away using minimal space.
OHMYGOODNESS!
Bacon anything is great in my opinion but BACON POLENTA PANCAKES? WITH MAPLE WHIPPED CREAM?! WAHHHH! Can’t wait to give this a try :)
I’m in mad lust with these pancakes..so much so, I need to pin them so I can make them soon (my bookmarks are so loaded..it takes forever to find recipes!). The bacon with polenta plus maple whipped cream is simply..wow! They look gorgeous too!
You have me rethinking my dinner plans. That’s stunning, delicious and a lovely taste change.
I’m totally swooning over here! I’m definitely a breakfast for dinner kind of gal too and pancakes + bacon are my 2 favorites for sure. This is brilliant and I can’t wait to make these.