​To keep busy today, I made  batch of tiramisu cookies for my son-in-law. I had some mascarpone frosting left from doing a final test of my tiramisu pancakes. I couldn’t help but wonder, if someone out in the vast digital world hadn’t come up with a recipe for these pancakes. Recipes I found used olive oil for the fat, Greek yogurt, coffee extract, included white or apple cider vinegar, regular coffee and brushing a coffee syrup over the cooked pancakes. After awhile I thought, why not use the “Betty Crocker Favorite Pancake” recipe and adjust the flavor profile. These buttermilk pancakes come out light and fluffy, so adding different flavorings would only enhance an already good recipe. As a guide, I used “Julie Marie Eats” tiramisu cookie recipe.
 
The first time I prepared the pancakes they were good, but the tiramisu flavor was weak. Drizzling hot espresso on the pancakes, similar to what is done in tiramisu, didn’t contribute to the flavor. As a start, I decreased the granulated sugar from one tablespoon to a half and added one tablespoon of dark brown sugar. The brown sugar would provide a deeper brown color and add caramel notes to enhance the coffee flavor. The addition of vanilla was needed to add a lovely background flavor. Instead of salad oil or melted shortening, I used melted butter for richness. The sugar was amended to a tablespoon of dark brown sugar and ½ tablespoon of granulated sugar. I added ½ tablespoon of instant espresso powder to the batter and 1-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla. The other ingredients in the recipe remained the same (flour, egg, buttermilk, baking powder, baking soda and salt.)
 
For the mascarpone cream, I used the “Julie Marie Eats” recipe to garnish the pancakes. I don’t like anything  too sweet on my pancakes, a small rosette of frosting or a light smear worked to bring all the flavors together. The final product had the balance of flavors I was looking for. You could taste the coffee flavoring and the pancakes had lovely brown coloring. A small frosting was it it needed. If you’re looking for something special for breakfast or brunch, give this recipe a try.
 
Last week I had a craving for pizza. Allowing enough time, I thought I would make the Razza pizza dough. Long story short, after reading the recipe over and carefully scaling out my ingredients, I blew it when I made the water too hot for the dough. The dough seemed moist enough, but I think I “killed” the yeast.
 
A quick pivot to “The New York Times/NYT Cooking” app and I found a recipe based on the dough from Roberta’s in Bushwick Brooklyn adapted by Sam Sifton. The dough comes together quickly and uses both 00 flour and all-purpose flour along with fine sea salt, active dry yeast and extra-virgin olive oil.
 
While the dry ingredients are mixed in a large bowl, in a small bowl (I used a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup) fill with 200 grams of lukewarm tap water and mix in yeast and olive oil. The liquid mixture is then incorporated into the dry and kneaded by hand for several minutes. The dough rests for three minutes, then cut into two equal pieces and shaped into a ball. The dough rises for three to four hours at room temperature or eight to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
 
I shaped two approximately 10-inch pizzas topped with sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil. I preheated my oven to its highest setting with a pizza stone on the top rack. The pie baked about 10 minutes. The pizza came out with a lovely golden top and bottom. We would prefer the bottom a little crispier; next time I’ll place the pizza stone on the bottom rack. The crust was thin, not cracker thin and had a nice chew. While I do like the flavor of the Razza recipe, there was less thinking with this one.

Tiramisu Pancakes
​by Donna Walsifer
Adapted from Favorite Pancakes
“Betty Crocker Cook Book” ©1969
 
Yield: 10 4-inch pancakes

Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons melted butter (salted or unsalted)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
½  tablespoon* granulated sugar
½ tablespoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Whisk egg; add remaining ingredients in order listed whisk until smooth. Preheat griddle and coat surface with 1 tablespoon of butter. Test griddle to see if it’s hot by sprinkling with a few drops of water on surface. If bubbles skitter around, griddle is ready.

Pour from ¼ measuring cup. Turn pancakes as soon as they are puffed and full of bubbles but before bubbles freak. Bake until second side is browned.
 
Place a pancake on plate and add a dollop of mascarpone cheese. Layer another pancake on top of first and garnish with more mascarpone cheese. Another layer if desired. Place cocoa powder in fine mesh strainer and dust pancakes with cocoa.
 
*If you don’t have a half tablespoon measuring spoon, measure out 1-1/2 teaspoons (3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon)
 
Mascarpone Cream from the recipe Tiramisu Cookies
From the website “Julie Marie Eats’
 
Ingredients
180 g mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
90 g confectioners’ sugar
20 g agave or honey
120 g heavy cream
1 tablespoon cocoa powder for dusting
 
Preparation
In a medium bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whip together all of the ingredients until it reaches stiff peaks and it holds its shape. If making ahead of serving, place in the fridge, covered by plastic wrap, until ready to assemble.​

Roberta’s Pizza Dough
“A Little Pizza Homework,” by Sam Sifton
The New York Times, April 8, 2014
Recipe from Carlo Mirarchi, Brandon Hoy, Chris Parachini
and Katherine Wheelock
Adapted by Sam Sifton
 
Total Time: 30 minutes, plus at 3 hours’ rising
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yield: Two 12-inch pizzas
 
Ingredients
153 grams 00 flour (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
15 3grams all-purpose flour (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons)
8 grams fine sea salt (1 teaspoon)
2 grams active dry yeast (¾ teaspoon)
4 grams extra-virgin olive oil (1 teaspoon)
 
Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flours and salt.
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir together 200 grams (a little less than 1 cup) lukewarm tap water, the yeast and the olive oil, then pour it into flour mixture. Knead with your hands until well combined, approximately 3 minutes, then let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.
3. Knead rested dough for 3 minutes. Cut into 2 equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Place on a heavily floured surface, cover with dampened cloth, and let rest and rise for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature or for 8 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. (If you refrigerate the dough, remove it 30 to 45 minutes before you begin to shape it for pizza.)
4. To make pizza, place each dough ball on a heavily floured surface and use your fingers to stretch it, then your hands to shape it into rounds or squares. Top and bake.