Fluffy banana & kefir pancakes with crispy bacon

• 1 ½ – 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 1 large overripe banana
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup kefir (buttermilk or yoghurt should also do)
• 2 tbsp. melted butter
• vanilla extract
• oil/ butter/ frying spray for frying the pancakes

Topping:

• bacon
• honey or maple syrup

Tools

• a large and a small bowl
• a fork
• a frying pan
• a medium ladle
• a spatula to flip the pancakes

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl add the flour and the baking powder and mix with a spoon or fork until combined – I suggest starting with 1 ½ cups flour and you’ll be able to add more on the way if needed to adjust the batter consistency. Set aside.
2. In a big bowl crush the banana with a fork until it becomes like a paste. Add the 2 eggs and whisk with the fork until well combined. Then add the kefir, salt and a teaspoon of vanilla extract and continue mixing with the fork until incorporated.
3. Add the flour and baking powder mix to the big bowl and mix everything together using the fork until well combined. Melt the butter in the microwave and add it to the batter and mix until well incorporated. You must obtain a batter thicker than the one for crepes, it doesn’t have to be very liquidy. If it feels too runny, just add more flour, one spoon at a time. If it feels too thick, you can adjust it with kefir/water/plain milk. You can even adjust after trying to fry one pancake, you’ll know if it is too runny, as it will take a lot to coagulate and it will be all over when you flip your pancake.
4. Fry the bacon first and set aside – I like to cut it into small pieces and turn it out on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the extra fat. If you only have one pan, make sure you remove the bacon fat before starting to fry the pancakes.
5. Then in a heated frying/crepes pan lined with frying spray (oil/ butter – I like to use a folded paper towel to evenly distribute the oil or butter before every pancake), fry the pancakes over medium-high heat one by one, or more at a time, depending on how large you want them. I used a ladle to pour the batter in the pan and a wide non-scratch spatula to flip them. Fry on one side until the surface starts to coagulate (it won’t be that shiny and runny anymore), then flip and fry for a minute more or so – times may vary from stove to stove and pan to pan, so fry one and adjust the heat if pancakes turn too dark to your liking. Stack the fluffy pancakes on one plate so they keep warm.
6. Share the warm fluffy pancakes on plates, top with a crispy bacon heap and rivers of honey or maple syrup and enjoy warm with someone dear to you!