Ingredients

Pancakes

• 220 g plain flour
• 30 g light brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 240 ml buttermilknot a substitute; the acid is what lifts the batter
• 150 g pure pumpkin pureenot pie filling, which is sweetened and spiced
• 2 large eggs
• 40 g melted unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla

Maple pecan butter

• 100 g softened unsalted butter
• 30 ml maple syrup
• 45 g toasted pecansfinely chopped
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

To finish

• 40 g toasted pecansroughly chopped, to serve, with maple syrup to pour

Method

1. 01

   Whip the maple pecan butter

   Beat the softened butter with the maple syrup, finely chopped toasted pecans, cinnamon and the pinch of salt until light and spreadable. If your kitchen is warm and it looks loose, chill it for 10 minutes while you make the batter.

   100 g softened unsalted butter · 30 ml maple syrup · 45 g toasted pecans · 1/4 tsp cinnamon

   You will have butter leftDeliberately. It is very good on toast, or melted over roast squash.

2. 02

   Combine the dry ingredients

   Whisk the flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a large bowl, breaking up any lumps of sugar with your fingers.

   220 g plain flour · 30 g light brown sugar · 2 tsp baking powder · 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda · 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon · 1/2 tsp ground ginger · 1/4 tsp nutmeg · 1/8 tsp ground cloves · 1/2 tsp salt

3. 03

   Mix the wet ingredients

   In a second bowl whisk the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter and vanilla until the colour is completely even. Pumpkin puree is thick and will streak if you rush this.

   240 ml buttermilk · 150 g pure pumpkin puree · 2 large eggs · 40 g melted unsalted butter · 1 tsp vanilla

   If the batter tightensLoosen it with buttermilk, never milk. The acid is what makes them rise.

4. 04

   Fold, then rest

   Pour the wet into the dry and fold with a spatula only until no dry flour remains; the batter should still look lumpy. Rest it for 10 minutes. It will thicken and hold small bubbles on the surface. Overmixing is what makes pumpkin pancakes rubbery.

5. 05

   Cook low and slow

   Heat a large non-stick frying pan or flat griddle over medium-low and give it 2 minutes to come up to temperature. A drop of water should sizzle gently rather than crack. Add about 60 ml batter per pancake and cook for 2-3 minutes, until bubbles break the surface and the edges look matt and set, then flip once and cook for 1-2 minutes more. These are thicker and wetter than plain pancakes, so they need lower heat and longer than you think.

   Lower heat than feels rightA wet pumpkin batter colours before it cooks. Medium-low, even though it feels slow.

6. 06

   Stack and serve

   Stack the pancakes with a disc of the maple pecan butter melting between each layer, and finish with extra toasted pecans and warm maple syrup.