Leftover deli tray from your last holiday party? Let our Buttermilk Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix come to the rescue! The best-selling mix can be used in so many recipes beyond the classic pancake or waffle, and here we use it to create a tasty ham & cheese pocket that's perfect as an appetizer or late-night snack. Deep-fried deliciousness is only minutes away!
2 cups Cravings Buttermilk Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix
1 cup half & half
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
Thinly sliced deli ham - 12 pieces
Oaxaca cheese, sliced (substitute: Monterey jack or low moisture mozzarella) - ½ oz piece each
toothpicks
vegetable oil for deep frying
Cut the cheese into ½ oz pieces. Wrap each piece of cheese ( like a present) with one slice of ham each. Repeat for all cheese pieces. Skewer with a toothpick ( optional) to secure the bundles. Place the ham cheese bundles in the refrigerator.
For the batter:
Whisk wet ingredients (half & half, eggs and vegetable oil) in a bowl to incorporate. Gently fold in the mochi pancake mix into the wet mixture. Do not over mix. It is acceptable to have a few lumps.
Fry the pockets:
Set up the vegetable oil in a large pot as a deep fryer or use the Cravings Wok. Heat oil to 325 F. Dip each piece of the ham and cheese bundles into the pancake batter to coat. Gently place the bundle into the fryer and repeat with a few more pieces. Do not overcrowd the fryer. With a fork or slotted spoon, immediately turn the pancake bundles over when it floats to the surface. Continually turn the pieces over till they are evenly golden, approximately 3-4 minutes. Remove from the fryer and drain on a paper towel.
Note: Careful with the first bite, the cheese content is super hot and melty
