I love pancakes more than I can possibly say. I know that admission will make you guys see me for the fat kid I really am, but I don’t care. I love pancakes and I don’t care who knows!
When they’re hot, fluffy, drizzled in syrup and stacked as high as a skyscraper, it’s really hard not to fall head over heels in love with those golden-brown discs of deliciousness. Unfortunately, until last week I couldn’t actually make pancakes.
Sure, I’d tried a few thousand times, but they always turned out a bit odd. Sometimes they were too light, sometimes too dark. Over time, I relegated myself to only eating pancakes at restaurants, which is depressing. Then one day, I decided I was going to tackle this culinary anomaly, and I did!
Before I knew it, I was whipping out those delicious golden-brown disks with ease. Turns out, I was doing it wrong all along. I had the wrong pan, the wrong temperature and even the wrong recipe for batter. Now that I’ve corrected all that, I’m living the fluffy, syrup-covered life I deserve, and you can too!
Prep time – 10 minutes
Cook time – 10 minutes
Calories – 1,269
Calories/serving – 159
Yield – 8 pancakes
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 1/4 cups milk 1 egg 3 tablespoons butter, melted
Procedure
1. Preheat your pan over heat that is slightly above medium.
2. Mix together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
3. Add the melted butter, egg and milk. Mix until combined.
4. Using a very small quantity of pan spray, butter or other pan lubricant, moisten the pan.
5. Using a ¼ cup measure, spoon the batter into the hot pan. Let them sit until the edges of the pancakes look dry. The time will vary, but it should only take a few minutes.
6. Flip the pancakes and let sit for about 2 minutes. The second side cooks much faster.
7. Remove from pan to prevent burning, serve hot and buttery.
Notes:
Make sure you choose a pan that is not non-stick. When I was trying to figure this out, I found that non-stick pans made an odd looking crispy bottomed pancake, which is no bueno. I used a 14” stainless steel skillet, but a cast iron skillet or griddle should work as well.
Whatever you do, make sure your pan is really hot. If you don’t, the whole experience takes longer than it should, and the product is inferior.
Finally, make sure your batter has the right consistency. Sometimes the batter can come out too watery or too thick. Adjust the viscosity until it’s thick but not doughy. Make your adjustments with 1 tablespoon of water or flour at a time.
Storage:
Believe it or not, pancakes store really well. If you like to eat them often, you can make a bunch and freeze them. Quickly thaw them in the toaster or microwave. It’s an easy way to save some money and still get a yummy breakfast.
