Ingredients
250g/9oz pumpkin or squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into large chunks
2 eggs
3 tbsp light brown soft sugar
25g/1oz butter, melted, plus a little for cooking
125ml/4fl oz buttermilk (or use the same quantity of milk, with a squeeze of lemon juice)
200g/7oz plain flour
21/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
drizzle of flavourless oil, such as sunflower or groundnut, for frying
ice cream, to serve, or yogurt or crème fraîche
FOR THE SALTED PECAN BUTTERSCOTCH
50g/2oz pecans, roughly chopped
50g/2oz butter
50g/2oz light brown soft sugar
1 tsp sea salt flakes
100ml/31/2fl oz double cream
Method
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Put the pumpkin or squash in a large heatproof bowl, add 1 tbsp water, cover with cling film and microwave on High for 5-8 mins or until really soft – different types will take a varying amount of time. Drain the pumpkin well and cool completely. If you want to eat the pancakes for breakfast, this step is best done the night before.
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Once cool, put the pumpkin in a food processer with the remaining pancake ingredients and add a good pinch of salt. Blend until everything is well combined to a smooth, thick batter (alternatively, mash the pumpkin well, then whisk in the remaining ingredients). Transfer to a jug or piping bag and set aside while you make the butterscotch sauce.
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Toast the pecans in a saucepan for 1-2 mins until a shade darker. Tip out and set aside. Add the butter, sugar, salt and cream to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then bubble gently for a few mins until you have a shiny sauce. Stir in the pecans and set aside to cool a little.
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Heat a knob of butter and a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan. Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1, to keep the pancakes warm while you cook them in batches – have a baking tray to hand. When the butter is foaming, swirl it around the pan, then pour tennis-ballsized amounts of batter into the pan (see tip, left) – they will spread a little as they cook, so leave some space between each pancake and don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook over a low-medium heat. Don’t touch the pancakes until you see a few bubbles appear on the surface – have a look underneath and, if the pancakes are golden, flip them over and cook for another 2 mins on the other side. Transfer the cooked pancakes to the baking tray and keep warm in the oven while you continue cooking.
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Once cooked, pile the pancakes onto plates, top with ice cream, yogurt or crème fraîche, and pour over the salted pecan butterscotch sauce.
