In honor of “National Pancake Week” I wanted to share with you one of the best pancake recipes I have come across in a long time.  The batter is light as air and simply melts in your mouth.   The homemade honey-lemon syrup is the perfect topping.  After trying the pancakes with a traditional maple syrup for comparison, I determined this easy honey-lemon concoction is absolutely the way to go!

A cross view of the pancake shows off the banana “stuffing.”  When you spoon the batter onto your griddle, a slice of banana is gently placed inside and topped with a little more batter.  Once you flip the pancakes over, the bananas become “stuffed” inside!  The pancakes are only about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, so a banana slice fits perfectly inside.

Banana Stuffed Pancakes with Honey-Lemon Syrup  (click here to view and print recipe)

1/2 cup (packed) cottage cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup sifted all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 small firm banana, peeled, cut into 18 thin slices

Vegetable or canola oil

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Blend cottage cheese, sour cream, the 1 Tablespoon honey, vanilla, and salt in a blender until very smooth, about 1-1/2 minutes. Beat eggs in a medium bowl until frothy; beat in the cottage cheese-sour cream mixture.

2. Sift together flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Gradually stir into cheese-egg mixture; do not overmix.

3. Lightly dust the banana slices with some flour and set aside. Brush a griddle pan with a thin film of vegetable oil. Heat over low heat, then medium heat until a few drops of water splashed on hot surface continue to sizzle several seconds. Drop batter by spoonfuls (or a scant 1/8 cup measure) onto hot griddle. Immediately top each pancake with one banana slice in the center, and spoon about a 1/2 teaspoon batter on top of each banana slice. Cook pancake 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface. Turn pancakes over and cook another minute or so until golden and puffed.

4. Remove pancakes to an ovenproof platter; keep warm in oven set at lowest setting. Lightly re-oil griddle pan as needed. Continue to cook all the pancakes.

5. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1/2 cup honey and the 2 Tablespoons lemon juice over low heat just until warmed, about 2 minutes. Serve the hot pancakes on the platter or warmed individual plates. Pass the warm honey-lemon syrup. Makes about eighteen 2-1/2-inch pancakes.

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