Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (300g) Fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp (12g) Granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp (3g) Cornstarch
  • 2 cups (250g) All-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp (38g) Granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp (8g) Baking powder
  • ½ tsp (3g) Baking soda
  • ½ tsp (3g) Fine sea salt
  • 1 ¾ cups (420ml) Full-fat buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 4 tbsp (56g) Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 tsp (5ml) Pure vanilla bean paste or extract

Instructions:

  1. Start by hulling and thinly slicing your 2 cups of strawberries. Place them in a small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Let them sit for about 10 minutes while you prep the batter.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Use a whisk to ensure no clumps remain.
  3. In a separate jug, whisk the 1 ¾ cups of room temperature buttermilk, 2 eggs, and the vanilla bean paste. Slowly pour in the 4 tablespoons of melted (and cooled!) butter while whisking constantly.
  4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Use a spatula to fold the ingredients together until just combined. Stop as soon as the large streaks of flour disappear. A few lumps are perfectly fine and actually lead to a fluffier result.
  5. Heat your skillet over medium low heat and lightly coat with a tiny bit of butter or oil. Ladle about 1/3 cup of batter per pancake onto the hot surface. Immediately press a few of the macerated strawberry slices into the wet tops of the pancakes.
  6. Cook for about 3 minutes until the edges look matte and set, and bubbles begin to crater on the surface. This is your signal that the bottom is perfectly browned and the structure is stable enough to flip.
  7. Carefully flip each pancake and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the underside is golden and the centers spring back when lightly touched. If the fruit starts to caramelize and smell like jam, you are doing it exactly right.
  8. Transfer the finished stacks to a wire rack or a warm plate. Avoid stacking them too high immediately, as the steam can make the middle ones lose their crispness. Serve while the fruit is still warm and the edges are at their peak shatter stage.