Vanilla Cream Syrup

Okay, here’s the Vanilla Cream Syrup recipe I used with my Blueberry Cream Pancakes last weekend.  It’s really a perfect match for the pancakes, and I’ll bet it would go well with my Pumpkin Pancakes too!  Once again, I adapted a recipe I found over at Lark’s Country Heart, and here’s what I came up with.  (You can find Lark’s original recipe on her wonderful blog site.)

Vanilla Cream Syrup
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) Smart Balance Butter Blend sticks (or real butter)
3/4 cup fat free half & half (you could use regular half & half)
3/4 cup skim (fat free) milk (or whatever “strength” of milk you prefer)
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt (as usual, I halved the amount of salt in the original recipe)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Smart Sugar (you can also use an equal amount of real sugar or Whey Low for a low-cal option)
Melt the butter in a medium-sized sauce pan.  Add flour, cook over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.  DO NOT burn!  Add the remaining ingredients, and reduce heat to low.
Continue cooking and stirring until syrup is thick and warmed through.

-- NOTE:  This will keep in the fridge for about 3 weeks. --

First of all, I decided to half Lark’s recipe, since I was only cooking for two.  This amount turned out to be just right for one batch of Blueberry Cream Pancakes.

The original recipe would have used 1-1/2 cups of whipping cream.  I didn’t have any in the house, so I made do with half & half & milk.  It was still VERY rich and creamy…so I think I’ll make it this way again in the future (just to save a few calories).

Ahhh…so fun trying new recipes…but alas…so many recipes, so little time…

Gotta run for now my friends…hope you have a FANTASTIC week!  (If you get a chance, would you pray for some rain to fall in Zig Zag?)
Blessings,
--Faithy