Place the porridge oats, yogurt and vanilla essence in a bowl. Mix well and then cover the bowl and put aside for 1 hour, or in the fridge overnight.
Prior to cooking take out of the fridge and allow to rest for at least 1 hour to bring back to room temperature.
Beat the eggs and add them and the baking powder to the porridge mixture.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the batter to the pan for each pancake.
Cook the pancakes until you see air bubbles appearing, then carefully flip them over with a spatula and once cooked remove each pancake to a flat baking tray and keep warm, but not covered in your oven.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 to cook the other pancakes.
Cut the plums in half and remove their stones. Place them in a microwave bowl with the star anise and the cinnamon. Cover the bowl and microwave on full power for 1 – 2 minutes until the plums are softened and have released their juices.
Carefully remove the star anise and plum skins and pour the juices over the tops of the pancakes.
Notes
Try other fruit toppings too such as raspberries, strawberries or blueberries chopped up with a tablespoon of honey drizzled over the top.