Gingerbread pancakes: Why use coffee?

[uoficowboy]

So I decided I want to make gingerbread pancakes. Why? I'm pancake obsessed and that sounds awesome.

Anyways - all the recipes I find use coffee. Why? I've never seen a gingerbread cookie recipe that used coffee... I'd post a link but apparently I'm not an established member.

Anyways - what purpose does the coffee serve here? Is there any way to replace it with something else? Or does anybody know of a recipe that doesn't have coffee? I don't drink coffee, never have, and don't have a clue how to make it.

Thanks!

 

[lindatooo]

The coffee adds a layer of flavor you can't get from anything else. It's worth the extra step. You can get espresso powder and it works really well. I wouldn't skip it. Every recipe I've tried that calls for coffee is not nearly as good without it.

 

[Katie H]

The coffee adds depth and moisture. I have a devil's food cake that uses 1 cup of coffee. The cake is awesome.

We don't drink coffee much here, so always have a small jar of good-quality instant around to make coffee for recipes and drinking. You don't have to know how to make coffee to make recipes calling for coffee. Have a great time with your recipes.

 

[QSis]

Gingerbread pancakes sound fantastic - I've never thought of them, but would love to try them!

Don't know why recipes you found use coffee (that does sound good to me, though), but to find recipes without it, just do a Google advanced search on "gingerbread pancake recipe" and in the "without words" box, type the word "coffee".

Here's one that sounds great! Gingerbread Pancake Recipe – How to Make Gingerbread Pancakes – Brunch Recipes

Lee

 

[uoficowboy]

Gingerbread pancakes sound fantastic - I've never thought of them, but would love to try them!

Don't know why recipes you found use coffee (that does sound good to me, though), but to find recipes without it, just do a Google advanced search on "gingerbread pancake recipe" and in the "without words" box, type the word "coffee".

Here's one that sounds great!

Lee

That recipe sounds pretty solid - but look at how little baking powder they use! I'd expect maybe a bit more than double the leavening. Won't those end up really dense and flat?

edit: wait, my bad - missed the baking soda. Amount of leavening looks about right then - just a little less than my standard pancake recipe. But why baking soda? Nothing in there is particularly acidic, right? It's not like they used buttermilk...

 

[uoficowboy]

The coffee adds depth and moisture. I have a devil's food cake that uses 1 cup of coffee. The cake is awesome.

We don't drink coffee much here, so always have a small jar of good-quality instant around to make coffee for recipes and drinking. You don't have to know how to make coffee to make recipes calling for coffee. Have a great time with your recipes.

Couldn't the moisture come from something else like milk? What do you mean exactly by depth?

So is the coffee added for the flavor it imparts, or for something else?

 

[uoficowboy]

Gingerbread pancakes sound fantastic - I've never thought of them, but would love to try them!

Don't know why recipes you found use coffee (that does sound good to me, though), but to find recipes without it, just do a Google advanced search on "gingerbread pancake recipe" and in the "without words" box, type the word "coffee".

Here's one that sounds great!

Lee

So I tried these out today (link clipped since apparently I can't post links) - and they turned out great! Hard as hell to get stirred up nice without over stirring... musta been the molasses... but otherwise awesome!

 

[QSis]

Really, cowboy? Well, heck, I have all that stuff and a day off tomorrow. Maybe I'll make some, too! Haven't had pancakes in ages!

Did you put anything besides confectioner's sugar on them before eating?

Lee

 

[uoficowboy]

Really, cowboy? Well, heck, I have all that stuff and a day off tomorrow. Maybe I'll make some, too! Haven't had pancakes in ages!

Did you put anything besides confectioner's sugar on them before eating?

Lee

Actually I didn't even put confectioner's sugar on them. Just normal syrup. Even though I'm a total pancake snob - I've found I prefer aunt jemima's original syrup over even the most expensive of real maple syrups.

By the way - how does one do that light coating of confectioner's sugar that is so attractive? There must be some tool for this I'm thinking - surely you can't do that by hand? What's more - I've seen designs that were sort of cut into the coating of confectioner's sugar - any idea how to do that as well?

One suggestion for if you do make them: For the wet ingredients - whisk the egg first, then add milk and whisk, then add molasses and oil and whisk, then crumble up brown sugar and whisk, then add to mixed dry ingredients.

At least that's what I'm going to try next time - I had problems with the brown sugar clumping up.

 

[kitchenelf]

To sprinkle on confectioner's sugar you simply pour into a wire mesh strainer and shake the strainer over whatever it is you are coating. To do the "cut", as you say, you use a patterned template...place on whatever it is you have baked, sprinkle on, carefully remove, and it leaves the pattern. The item you are coating must be completely cool or the sugar will melt.

 

[Katie H]

By the way - how does one do that light coating of confectioner's sugar that is so attractive? There must be some tool for this I'm thinking - surely you can't do that by hand? What's more - I've seen designs that were sort of cut into the coating of confectioner's sugar - any idea how to do that as well?

I use a fine-mesh strainer/sieve to "sprinkle" powdered sugar over things.

As for the designs that appear cut into foods, those are done using stencils, which can be purchased. Paper doilies work just as well.

For example, if you want to decorate the top of a plain gingerbread cake, just place a doily on top that's the right size. Sprinkle the sugar over the doily, then remove the doily carefully. The sugar will have filtered through the little holes in the doily and create a pretty design on the cake.

 

[QSis]

LOL, cowboy! Well, to me, a pancake is a pancake, but there is NO maple syrup for me besides the real stuff!

Thanks for the whisking tips - I'll follow your suggestions.

What is the "i" in "u of i"?

Lee

 

[uoficowboy]

LOL, cowboy! Well, to me, a pancake is a pancake, but there is NO maple syrup for me besides the real stuff!

Thanks for the whisking tips - I'll follow your suggestions.

What is the "i" in "u of i"?

Lee

I know I know - it's akin to admitting to liking Backstreet Boys... But I've done all sorts of tests and nothing completes a pancake for me like Aunt Jemimas... Maple syrup is just too watery or something. I dunno.

The I is Illinois - University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (BSEE '07)

-Michael

 

[scoobagirl]

"I know I know - it's akin to admitting to liking Backstreet Boys... "

That was funny, cowboy!

 

[Katie H]

The I is Illinois - University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (BSEE '07)

-Michael

Congratulations, Michael. Our youngest graduated from University of Illinois - Carbondale, engineering, too.