Spiced Pancake Mix and Other Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen

For the Spice Mix

• 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground mace, 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, Pinch of vanilla powder *, 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  Mix all the ingredients together. If you are making a lot of the spice mix, then put it in a tin or glass jar and cover it until you are ready to use it.

For the Pancake Mix

• Put all the ingredients plus the spice mix into a sifter. Sift well, and package. Write somewhere on the package what is needed to make the pancake batter.

To Make the Pancake Batter

• 1 egg, 1 cup milk, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  Put the sifted dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the egg and milk, and stir together. Last, add the melted butter and stir. Set aside.
• Heat a griddle or skillet to medium or 350 °F (177 °C). Grease the griddle with oil. Drop the batter in spoonfuls onto the hot griddle. When the cake shows bubbles on top about 2 minutes, it's time to turn the cake over and keep on the griddle until browned, another minute or so. Put the pancakes in a covered dish or container while you finished making the rest of the pancake. A tortilla warmer does an excellent job of this.
• Serve with melted butter and syrup of your choice.

• Have ready a 9×12 inch pan lined with parchment paper.
• 12 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon Peppermint extract
  In a thick bottomed saucepan, over medium heat, put the butter, peppermint extract and condensed milk. Stir constantly whilst until the butter is completely incorporated.
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
  Take the pan off the flame. Put the marshmallows in, and stir.
• Put the pan back on the flame, and stir constantly until all the marshmallows have melted. You should not have any streaks of white.
• 12 oz white chocolate chips
  Remove the pan from the flame. Add the chips to the pan, slowly, stirring all the while.
• Lower the flame and put the pan back on the flame. Stir briskly until all the chocolate is melted and there are no white streaks.
• 1/4 cup peppermint candy
  Immediately take the pan off the pan and add the candy, stirring constantly.
• Pour the lot into the prepared pan.
• Allow to cool over night. It may seem as if it is not setting, but it will set over night.
• Using the sides of the parchment paper, remove the candy from the pan. Carefully peel the parchment paper from the sides and bottom, but leave the block on the paper – it’s just easier to cut it that way.
• Cut into squares and arrange on a nice serving dish.
• Variations

• Have ready a 9×12 inch pan lined with parchment paper.
• In a thick bottomed saucepan, over medium heat, put the butter, coffee and almond extract and condensed milk. Stir constantly whilst until the butter is completely incorporated.
• Take the pan off the flame. Put the marshmallows in, and stir.
• Put the pan back on the flame, and stir constantly until all the marshmallows have melted. You should not have any streaks of white.
• Remove the pan from the flame. Add the chips to the pan, slowly, stirring all the while.
• Lower the flame and put the pan back on the flame. Stir briskly until all the chocolate is melted and there are no white streaks.
• Pour the lot into the prepared pan.
• Allow to cool at least two hours.
• Using the sides of the parchment paper, remove the candy from the pan. Carefully peel the parchment paper from the sides and bottom, but leave the block on the paper – it’s just easier to cut it that way.
• Cut into squares and arrange on a nice serving dish.