Pannukakku [Guest Post]

I am DROWNING under the weight of various parasites (metaphorically of course as they are v v v small - revision done? I think so ha ha if only :((( ) so I am leaving this post in the very capable hands of soon to be reader-of-English (is that even a thing can you tell I do science?) Hannah. I hope you all had marvelous seasonal celebrations and the like! Enjoy x

------------

Hello hello, as Kate is busy busy busy revising for her extremely important exams (and I mean busy, some nights we've even had to do without our customary Buffy episode - it's a hard knock life, right?) I have offered to step in and post something, ANYTHING so that Hippopotamousse doesn't just fade into the dusty backwaters of the internet like an angsty tumblr that's been outgrown (we've all been there, let's be honest). If you have ever frequented Kate's 'About Me' page you will know who 'I' am.
Oh yes, that's right ladies and gents, you are being addressed today by none other than the 'doting girlfriend, Hannah' (quite clearly proving my devotion right here right now).

Luckily for me, the government decided to do away with those pesky January exams and so I'm kind of at a loose end right now. Okay, I do have mocks but the way I feel about them? Come on, it's in the name. My days are currently being spent switching between watching RuPaul's Drag Race (check out the Netflix latecomer over here) and sorta, kinda preparing for some interviews next week (isn't applying to university the biggest drag??). It's probably quite a good thing that I volunteered my services to Kate, cos I think I'd forgotten how to use commas. And full stops. And... well, you get the picture.

(Ooh btw, HI GRANDMA if you're reading just wanted to point out to you that nearly everything in these pictures is yours see we do love your stuff!)

Anyway, I do have a rather lovely recipe to share with you today. Pannukakku is Finnish for pancake, but quite obviously this isn't your typical Shrove Tuesday fare - IT'S SO MUCH BETTER. Seriously. (Also, side note - I think this could possibly be called a Dutch Baby. I don't know, please feel free to correct me. Regardless of what you call it, it's delicious.) For a good few months our Sundays weren't complete unless I threw together one of these, and I'm not even being modest here cos you literally do just throw it together. And just look at the result! Oh yeah, that is a crisp golden top you're seeing, and what's that? Yep, that crust is encasing an ever-so-slightly stodgy, tasty inside.

One of the best thing about these is their versatility. You can put literally anything you want in them (within reason) and they'll still turn out great. We've had chocolate chip, banana, super spiced, the list goes on. This one, however is the BEST. Its full title should actually be Spelt-y Vanilla-y Seedy Almond-y Spicy Pannukakku but really, who's got time for that eh? Plus I start throwing all these things at you and you're like 'woah hold your horses I just wanted a nice pancake-y type recipe, this is TOO MUCH, I'm off'.' Saying that, I should probably actually get to the recipe before you drift into inertia.

Just a last thing - Kate took all these photos, I can take no credit for that. I'm not very good at doing anything with my food except eating it all as fast as possible. 

Ingredients

Makes a 24cm round pancake

At this point I must beg for forgiveness as I'm not really a weighing out and measuring kinda girl - I'd advise taking my lead and following your instincts.

60g wholewheat spelt flour
40g plain flour
150ml almond milk (this isn't particularly important, plain old cow will do too)
70ml water
1 free -range egg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 BIG tbsp honey
a good pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sunflower seeds
1 and 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
handful of flaked almonds

Directions

Put the flour, spices, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix. In a jug, beat the wet ingredients together. Now pour the wet into the dry and whisk vigorously. Now add the honey and the seeds.
Leave to rest for half an hour while you preheat the oven to 180 degrees C, leisurely make coffee, go back to bed - whatever you fancy, for that 30 minutes you are free as a bird my friend.
Grease your choice of baking dish, pour in mixture and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Bake for 20-30 minutes until it's puffy and golden and delicious - it shouldn't wobble much if you shake it.
There you go, told you it was a piece of cake. Serve with anything you like (I made an absolutely to-die-for (if I do say so myself) pan of rich apple caramel sauce that I would share if I had any idea what went in it - I am rubbish and I am sorry) and enjoy!