Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes

I love making pancakes for a special weekend breakfast, so I'm always looking for new and creative ideas to liven up the treat. One of these ideas occurred to me when I was looking at my recipe for a pineapple upside-down cake in which butter, brown sugar and rings of fresh sweet pineapple are baked at the bottom of a simple white cake, after which the cake is inverted so that the cooked pineapple sits on top. Well, what could be simpler than pineapple upside-down pancakes, since the pancakes have to be flipped anyways? So this recipe was born, with the fresh rings of pineapple fried in butter and brown sugar until golden-brown and then placed on top of pancakes right before they're flipped. These turned out to be a delicious weekend treat.

Any pancake batter can be used, but I would suggest a thicker batter such as the one I used here to support the pineapple rings. A little almond extract is a wonderful addition to the batter as well.

Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on May 3, 2013 "Upside-down" pancakes cooked with a ring of fresh, sweet and tangy pineapple browned in butter and sugar Preparation: 5 minutes Cooking time: 45 to 60 minutes Print this recipe Pancakes: 2/3 cup rolled or steel-cut oats 1/3 cup plain whole fat yogurt 2/3 cup whole milk 4 eggs 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1 1/3 cups unbleached white flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Pineapple: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 stick cinnamon (1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon) 8 fresh pineapple rings Instructions: Stir together the oats and yogurt in a medium glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rest overnight at room temperature. The next morning, beat the milk, eggs and almond extract into the oats. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour the oat mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Let stand while you prepare the pineapple. Combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed non-stick skillet and melt the butter over medium heat. Layer the pineapple rings and cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes a side or until a light golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer the pineapple rings to a plate. Wipe the skillet clean and return to the stove. Heat a few teaspoons of oil in the skillet over medium heat. When hot, drop 1/4 cup portions of the batter into the pan. Cook each pancake for 4 to 5 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges are separated from the pan. Top each pancake with a pineapple ring, then flip and cook for another few minutes or until both sides are golden brown. Add more oil to the pan as needed. Serve hot or warm, dressed with whipped cream, maple syrup, fresh sliced cherries, or any combination of the above. Makes 8 pancakes

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