Whole Wheat Mulberry Pancakes with Sugar-Free Mulberry Syrup

To make the syrup:
Heat the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add mulberries, reduce heat, and simmer about 20 minutes or until mulberries are soft. Use a potato masher to mash mulberries. Place in a fine mesh colander over a large bowl. Let it sit for at least 4 hours to allow juice to drain.

Reserve the solids that are in the colander. Return the mulberry juice to the saucepan and add Splenda. Heat without boiling and stir until Splenda is dissolved. Stir in lemon juice and bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes until the syrup coats the back of a metal spoon.

Pour into hot, sterilized bottles and seal when cool. You will have more syrup than you will use for one batch of pancakes! Store extra in the refrigerator.

To make the pancakes:
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, Splenda and baking powder. Set aside.

In another bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together milk, mulberry puree, egg and vanilla. Add this into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Ladle the batter onto a hot skillet, 1/4 cup at a time. Cook until golden brown on bottom, flip, and cook until cooked through. Serve with butter and mulberry syrup.

Makes about 12 pancakes.