These chocolate and rye pancakes are divine filled with creamy chilli, honey and fruit-studded ricotta and drizzled with a simple chocolate sauce. Dessert or a very decadent breakfast. The choice is yours.
When you have a hankering for something sweet and homemade not much beats a tall stack of maple syrup-kissed pancakes. Using store cupboard ingredients of flour, egg and milk, as well as a touch of oil and leavening agents, within a short time the whole family can follow their noses to the table and dive right in. Jars of jam, a shaker of caster sugar, bowls of sliced fruit and berries, some freshly cut lemon and a bottle of Canada’s finest will have everyone satisfied as they customise their personal plate of golden beauties.
Perfection.
But sometimes you want to go a bit fancier, a bit dessert: squirty cream and toffee sauce; or alcohol and flames.
And sometimes you just want to go a bit mad and cobble together a really bizarre sounding but exceedingly good plate of dark-as-dirt crepes, rolled around something sweet, smoky, creamy and spicy. If you are me, this is what you get.
I kind of knew this odd-but-good combination would work, but I wasn’t expecting to want to stab my husband in the hand with my fork as he ate all but my test one. All.
That’s grounds for divorce in some households, I’m sure.
I’ve made these vegan and crepe-like, but do feel free to try this idea with your favourite, fluffier, pancake recipe, replacing half of the flour with rye and not forgetting the heaped spoon of cocoa powder. Be a devil and add some chocolate chips if you want, especially if you can’t be bothered with the chocolate sauce (even though it is the easiest one I know of).
This recipe is for Pancake Day/Shrove Tuesday. If you aren’t familiar with this day, where pancake are considered a fit and proper dinner, here is a short article from The Telegraph that explains the customs and history of Pancake Day.
What are you making on Pancake Day? Do you have them for dinner, breakfast or dessert? What’s your favourite oddball filling or topping?
Chocolate and Rye Pancakes with Dried Pineapple, Chilli & Honey-Ricotta
This sounds unusual – you may think I have finally lost my mind – but if you dare make these, I promise you will be glad you did. Fashionable rye flour is subtly nutty, and as smooth as wheat flour Rye and cocoa/chocolate are perfect partners, and the ricotta, smoked chipotle paste, honey and dried pineapple are simply gorgeous in this. Andrew pretty much ate every last scrap, and wiped the bowl clean with his fingers.
I also make this with chickpea flour, adding cocoa and the rest of the non-flour ingredients as listed. That version is a bit more of an acquired taste, but would be a perfect way of getting a high-protein, gluten-free and “real food” pancake without premixed flours.
Filling (for up to four pancakes)
175g ricotta (here’s a recipe for sweet vegan ricotta)
½ tsp smoked chilli paste* (more to taste, once you mix it all up)
1 tbsp best honey*
40g dried pineapple, chopped in smaller pieces – divided use
Easy Chocolate Sauce
50-75g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
2 tbsp almond milk (2 ½ tbsp if using 75g chocolate)
Pancakes
50g rye flour
50g light spelt flour – or all chickpea flour (100g)
1 rounded tbsp cocoa powder or cacao
1 tbsp date syrup or maple syrup or sugar
1/16 tsp of salt
100ml water
2 tsp organic rapeseed oil or coconut oil (the latter will alter the flavour of the pancakes) + oil for the pan
* if you have Gran Luchito’s smoked chilli honey, then use 1 rounded teaspoon of this to replace the chilli paste and the honey. It’s delicious stuff.
Method
1. Mix together the ricotta, smoked chilli paste, honey and 30g of the pineapple; set aside.
2. Heat the chocolate and milk over a bain-marie/bowl over a pan of just-simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch); stirring when the chocolate starts to melt. Keep warm.
3. Place the dry ingredients for the pancakes in a mixing bowl and dry-whisk together. Add half of the water and all of the oil and mix until smooth; whisk in the remaining water. If you can let this sit for 10 minutes, do.
4. Heat a lightly oiled sauté or griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Drop a fleck of batter into the pan. If it sizzles immediately, pour in enough batter to fill two-thirds of the bottom of the pan then swirl to distribute to the edge. Cook until bubbles form and the edges are nearly dry when you slide a spatula underneath. Flip and continue cooking until they are cooked through. It’s a bit hard to tell with dark pancakes, but about 2-3 minutes of each side should be right. Make up as many pancakes as you like – up to four large ones.
5. Lay the pancakes onto plate and evenly fill with the ricotta mixture; roll up and drizzle with chocolate sauce and dot with the remaining pineapple, or slice of fresh pineapple. Eat immediately. Enjoy.

Interesting Pancakes From Others
Coconut Pancakes with Pecans & Almonds
Pancakes with Blood Orange and Ricotta
Spiced Kefir Pancakes with Manuka Honey & Creme Fraiche Chocolate Sauce
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Wow! What fabulous pancakes! In the midst of winter the tropical motif of pineapple and the warmth from chili make a very appealing recipe. And of course the chocolate seals the deal!
Never thought of using the rye flour for pancakes 🙂 I might give these a try! (with a different filling to make them vegan). Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I’ve got a link to some gorgeous sounding sweet vegan ricotta. 😊
ooo that sounds great 🙂
oh I am so in love with rye flour right now… these look divine and so thin and light too. love the filling… feeling very hungry!
These sound delicious. I love the idea of rye and chocolate 🙂
These were soooo delicious, I scoffed the lot!
These sound divine! I often use rye flour in our regular Sunday morning pancakes, but never thought to add cocoa. And that ricotta-chili-pineapple filling is all my favourite things!
These truly are unusual and delicious sounding Kellie:-)
Yum! I love the taste of rye flour and use it a lot in my bread!
These sound amazing. I am loving the sound of the honey, chilli and ricotta – such a nice combo.
What a fabulous recipe! Those pancakes look awfully grown up, dark and mysterious ;o) I also love that you found a use for dried pineapple – I never get beyond snacking on it but can totally imagine it going down a treat in this dish 🙂
well this looks simply gorgeous and over the years I’ve tossed pancakes on Shrove Tuesday nothing has ever made me divert from the classic lemon & sugar…but i think this one might just…
Dark-as-dirt. YES! My cacao chocolate pancakes tomo :-p!
LOVE this recipe!
Oh wow these look amazing. Crepes are the treat I like to whip up when I want something sweet that is quick and easy. Now I have a decadent chocolate version! I don’t use rye flour too much, so now I have a reason to.
Love the wackiness of this recipes, not sure I can imagine what it tastes like so will have to make it to find out!
Unusual interesting combination. thanks for sharing.
My lips are watering just looking at the photos 🙂
Mmmm, I’m getting hungry now! Chocolate in pancakes????!!!!!! Sounds delish!
I love the idea of using rye flour, inspired. Your pancakes look altogether quite delicious!
Love the idea of these, esp. bec. you made them crepe-like, my fave. -Kat
Is there any other way? 😉 #campcrepe
Using rye is a great idea, I love this cereal! I love your recipe and presentation very inspiring!
Thank you. 🙂
When you read an article and suddenly feel the need to go shopping haha. Had a quick scroll through your blog and feel sooo hungry now.
P.S. one of the things in the bowl on the first image looks like a heart :O
I do believe that food is our medicine so thank you for these amazing recipes. I love both the content of your blog and your presentation, I’ll follow to see what’s next
Thanks so much for taking the time to look around and to comment.I look froward to hearing from you again. 🙂