Go for the maple flavouring for the side benefit of pancakes. I ordered internationally through amazon.com in the states a box of the stuff for pancake purposes alone. Aussie costs on syrup is extortionist to the extreme. To make paxake syrup used 1/2 tsp of extract or so. You are talking 7 cents or less to make syrup costing upwards of $10 in the shops here localy. I even make my own self raising flour mix and pancake mix as that costs cents compared to the one use mixers in the supermarkets here. Buttermilk will react and make extra fluffy pancakes
-- 7c + 12c of generic std sugar In a ratio comparisson means you save in the thousands of dollars which justifies ordering it with intl shipping. And of course spend your savings on more brew equipment and supplies + can try your raisin flavour. Win win
Greetings from the USA from someone raised in maple syrup producing territory!
I think there's 3 different maple things in the conversation now.
1. Fake maple syrup is the liquid stuff that's 98% corn syrup. In the USA it's sold under brand names like Mrs Butterworth, Aunt Jemima, and Log Cabin. It has a raisiny taste and doesn't really taste much like maple.
2. Maple flavouring extract is the stuff used for making cookies with, and tastes a little more like maple. If you're used to fake maple syrup, reconstituting this is a fine substitute.
3. Real maple syrup contains nothing but maple sap and has the real maple flavor. This is the good stuff, it's what you want on pancakes--it's like night and day comparing this with the fake stuff. I think "Camp" is one brand of real syrup available in Oz.
My pancake recipe, converted to metric (You can mix up a whole bunch of the dry part ahead of time, then just add egg/butter/milk to a scoop of it when you need to make pancakes):
240 ml milk (buttermilk is best, but others will work)
2 large eggs
10 ml melted butter
240 ml white flour
30 ml sugar
10 ml baking powder (hopefully it's called the same thing there--different from plain baking soda)
Large dash of salt (maybe 1 ml)
Mix the dry stuff together. Add the rest, but add the milk slowly and stop when you get a good consistency (240ml is about right depending on how humid it is).
If you're really after big fluffy pancakes, definitely use buttermilk (the acid helps the baking powder work) and separate the yolks and whites and whisk a lot of air into the whites before adding them (and add them last).
And use _real_ maple syrup--the fake stuff is 98% corn syrup.
