Baghrir - Yeasted Moroccan Pancakes

Growing up, my mom would get up early and make Baghrir for us for breakfast. These yeasted Moroccan pancakes are drizzled with honey. They are airy, full of holes for syrup to seep through, a little sticky, sweet, and filling. In addition, my mom would also make a nice big pot of fresh mint tea to go with it. Sometimes she'd also sprinkle chopped toasted almonds on top. A few years ago I finally obtained the recipe. Not because my mom wouldn't share it but because my mom measures her ingredients for Baghrir with a "certain" size bowl that I don't have an exact copy of :o) So I just followed her with my scale when she made it and wrote down the recipe :o)

There are probably as many recipes for Baghrir out there as there are for chocolate chip cookies. My mom's version is made with 100% coarse semolina flour (no AP flour), milk (not water), and no eggs. I really like this recipe a lot as-is and have not bothered trying other recipes.

Hubby loves these. They're great for breakfast but they work equally well as an afternoon snack with some mint tea. Should you have leftovers, it keeps very well in the fridge (covered in plastic wrap). Just reheat in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.

I have been meaning to share this recipe with all of you for a while. I hope you give them a try and let me know how you like them.

Moroccan Baghrir

(original recipe - please ask for permission before reprinting in any form)

Ingredients

2 cups/16 fl oz warm milk, 100-110 F (I've used 1% as well as 2% milk)

6 oz coarse semolina flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp instant yeast (this type of yeast doesn't need to bloom first)

pinch of turmeric, optional (for slightly less pale looking Baghrir)

Syrup:

¾ cup honey (I like orange blossom)

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or butter)

1 tsp orange blossom water, optional (add if using clover honey)

Instructions:

Put all the Baghrir ingredients in a blender.

Process until the batter is homogenous and no longer lumpy. This takes about 2-3 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it sit in a warm place for about 40 minutes.

By now, the batter should be all nice and bubbly on top. 

Stir it gently to evenly distribute the bubbles. Heat a non-stick pan over low-medium to medium heat until hot. I like to heat up two non-stick pans (6” and 8”) to speed things up. Make 1 test Baghrir to check the heat setting of your stove. Pour enough batter into the pan to cover the bottom of the pan without swirling the pan or your Baghrir will be too thin (remember, you’re not making crepes). You’ll start seeing bubbles form immediately. Cook on one side only, until the surface is no longer wet and there are holes throughout. 

Remove Baghrir from pan and put on wire rack to cool. Adjust heat if necessary (increase if the bubbles don't form throughout, and decrease if the bottom cooks before the top is cooked). Repeat with the remainder of the batter.

See how porous it is?

For the syrup, put all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat gently until hot. Place one Baghrir on a plate, and using a spoon (or silicone pastry brush), drizzle the Baghrir liberally with the syrup (remember, there’s no sugar in the Baghrir itself so all the sweetness comes from the syrup). The syrup serves two functions: heating up the Baghrir as well as sweeten it. Stack another Baghrir on top, and repeat the syrup process.

The Baghrir is very porous so the bottom Baghrir will catch a lot of the syrup that flows from all the Baghrir stacked on top.

Bon Appetit!