The late, late breakfast show

Long and lazy brunches add the comfort factor to winter weekends and give festive guests an indulgent wake-up call. Go on, take it easy...

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Winter squash pancakes with blackberries & honeycomb

SERVES 3-4

These wholemeal pancakes make a delightful weekend breakfast. The batter is subtly spiced, but you could enhance the gingerbread flavour with a little ground ginger and mixed spice.

250g (8¾oz) wholemeal spelt flour

1½tsp baking powder

½tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp fine salt

¾tsp ground cinnamon

300ml (10fl oz) buttermilk or thin, natural yoghurt

130ml (4½fl oz) milk

½ x 425g (15oz) tin pumpkin puree (so 210g or 7½oz)

50g (1¾oz) light muscovado sugar

2 eggs, separated

1tsp vanilla extract

300g (10½oz) blackberries

2tsp sunflower oil

100g (3½oz) honeycomb, to serve

1 In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices. In a second bowl, using a stick blender, blitz the buttermilk or yoghurt, milk, pumpkin, four-fifths of the sugar, egg yolks and vanilla together until smooth.

2 Fold into the dry ingredients until almost combined, but with a few clumps of flour still remaining.

3 Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and fold into the mixture until just combined. Do this step very carefully, as you do not want to knock any air out of the egg whites, as this is what will make the pancakes fluffy. Transfer to a pouring jug and allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes.

4 While the batter rests, put the blackberries in a small saucepan with the remaining sugar and a splash of water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the blackberries just begin to give up their juice.