Strawberry Pancakes, Trail Version
Whole wheat pancake mix with freeze-dried strawberries. Add water, fry in a greased pan.
- calories
- 520
- weight
- 4.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 116
- protein
- 13 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 12 min
- total time
- 17 min
- water
- 180 ml cold
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Breakfast
- Canister stove
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Backpacking
- Canoe / raft
- Vegetarian
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Whole wheat flour | 1 1/2 cups | |
|---|---|---|
| Baking powder | 1 tbsp | check the date, it dies in the pantry |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp | |
| Powdered whole milk | 1/3 cup | replaces the 1 1/4 cups fresh milk |
| Powdered whole egg | 3 tbsp | stands in for 2 large eggs |
| Honey | 2 tbsp | or 2 tbsp brown sugar mixed into the dry bag |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp | a small dropper bottle; vanilla powder also works |
| Freeze-dried strawberries | 1 cup | crushed to pea size |
| Ghee or coconut oil | 2 tbsp | for the pan, and some in the batter |
Method
- At camp, pour the dry bag into the pot and add about 180 ml of cold water plus the vanilla and honey. Stir until it is thick and lumpy. Lumps are fine.
- Let it sit five minutes. The milk and egg powder need that time to hydrate, and the flour needs it to stop being gritty.
- Heat a pan over a low flame with a thin film of ghee. Low is the whole trick on a canister stove; the burner is a hot ring, not a surface.
- Spoon in batter in small rounds, no wider than your palm. Cook until the tops go dull and bubbles hold open, two to three minutes.
- Flip once, another minute or two, then move it off the heat. Re-grease between batches.
The original is a kitchen recipe: fresh milk, fresh eggs, a box of U-pick strawberries. None of that rides in a pack. Powdered whole milk and powdered egg do the same structural jobs, and freeze-dried strawberries hold their shape in the batter instead of bleeding water into it the way fresh or frozen fruit does. That water matters. Fruit juice thins the batter and the pancakes go flat and gummy in the middle.
The rest is heat management. A canister stove concentrates flame in a narrow ring, so the center scorches while the edges stay raw. Keep the flame as low as it will hold, keep the pancakes small, and grease the pan before every batch. Over a campfire, cook on coals rather than flame for the same reason.
Packing
Flour, baking powder, salt, milk powder, egg powder, sugar if you use it, and the crushed strawberries all go in one bag at home. Honey, vanilla, and ghee ride in small screw-top bottles.
Variations
- Freeze-dried blueberries or chopped dried apple in place of the strawberries.
- Skip the pan and make one thick pancake in a lidded pot over very low heat, ten minutes, flip once.
- Cut the flour with 1/2 cup instant potato flakes for a softer crumb and more calories.
https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/yummy-recipe-oh-a-whim-strawberry-pancakes