Pancakes!

[riboflavinjoe]

soul.

[cheeseandchocolate]

When I was little, my father made Bisquick (damn fine, for a mix) pancakes for me every Saturday morning. He used a round, flat, cast-aluminum pancake pan, with seven shallow round wells to hold the batter in a perfect circle. Being one of those naturally neat-and-tidy kids, those little identical circular pancakes really appealed to me. I'd eat them smothered in maple syrup--only the good stuff.

At any rate, I saw the same type of pan for sale in a recent Williams-Sonoma catalog and requested it from my mom (my dad died a year ago) for Christmas. I've used it at least four times in the three or so weeks since she gave it to me, and my pancakes are light, cakey, and tall. Granted, it could be that I, like some others here, make mine with buckwheat and buttermilk--and then let the batter rest for an hour, so the batter itself is thick and full of air bubbles. But I think there's something about the pancake-pan wells that confines the batter and makes it puff even higher. Mmmmm!

[Alex]

King Arthur light ww flour; a little each of toasted wheat germ, shredded coconut, and granola; a glob of sour cream and/or homemade yogurt; eggs from free-range chickens. I agree w/Kit -- sour cream makes it. My dad always used it in his pancakes.

[Betts]

I use orange juice and a dash of Penzey's baking spice in the Krustez Buttermilk mix or lately Sturdiwheat ( Original flavor ) makes a very tasty pancake .

I do not want any other additives - no blueberries, bananas, choc chips, etc.

And real maple syrup and real soft butter. MMMMMMMMMMMMM.

[sfmiller]

Does anyone else use fruit or other additives to the pancakes? Sometimes I put in banana slices, which is great if I can get the banana to carmelize a bit.

I toss in apples (smallish dice) once in a while, and add a bit of cinnamon and/or nutmeg and/or lemon zest. Nice change in the fall and winter.

And I agree about the vanilla. A small amount makes a big difference.

[robyn]

Does anyone else use fruit or other additives to the pancakes? Sometimes I put in banana slices, which is great if I can get the banana to carmelize a bit.

I don't like to add fruit to the batter because of the water content - but I put it on top. Especially like sliced strawberries that have been dusted with some confectioner's sugar to make them juicy.

And what would pancakes be without some nice crispy bacon? Robyn

[kjente2]

Somewhat like Marie-Louise, let it sit, I let it sit overnight preferably with lumps, same with waffle battler.

Buttermilk? I freeze whats left in 1/2 cup containers.

[RMR]

Cornmeal. The pancakes I grew up with had 1/4 c. cornmeal added to give them substance. My mother often served them stacked with butter and sugar between each cake and you’d cut a wedge to eat.

Now I also like buttermilk pancakes. Real maple syrup is a must. I buy buttermilk by the quart and have no trouble using it up in biscuits, chocolate cake, mashed potatoes, potato soup and then more pancakes.

[browniebaker]

Only buttermilk. And it has to be real. The powdered buttermilk is not thick enough.

Whipped egg whites folded into the batter.

Only White Lily all-purpose flour. a soft flour that makes the most tender of pancakes.

[forever_young_ca]

Tell me please about your built in griddle.

I don't have a GE monogram, but my JennAir has a Teflon griddle. I think I make the best pancakes ever on it - buttermilk, b.powder, b.soda, etc. The Teflon gives a beautiful golden finish that is not greasy and the pancakes turn out extremely light and airy.

[helenjp]

I agree about the yogurt and water (or milk) sub for buttermilk. I can't buy buttermilk in Japan, so that is what I use all the time. Even a teaspoon of vinegar per cup of milk is better than straight milk.

[Katherine]

For the longest time, my "secret" was Krusteaz mix, bought in large bags at Sam's club. I started buying this after working at a restaurant where they used it. The patrons just loved the pancakes (they were great), but I had to go into the back room to mix it up if we ran out, so the patrons couldn't see the mix bag...

[fresco]

I don't have any problems with people using a mix if that's what works. But can there be anything more basic than the ingredients for pancakes?

[Katherine]

I don't have any problems with people using a mix if that's what works. But can there be anything more basic than  the ingredients for pancakes?

When you've got to be out of the house at 7:00. and you make a complete breakfast every morning, there's not much point in cooking from scratch the few things that are as good from a mix.

Pretty much it would come down to having time to serve meat and/or eggs with the pancakes, or pancakes only.

(Be still, my pancreas!)

Edited January 19, 2004 by Katherine (log)

[fresco]

Time really is the last great luxury, isn't it?

[robyn]

I don't have any problems with people using a mix if that's what works. But can there be anything more basic than  the ingredients for pancakes?

When you've got to be out of the house at 7:00. and you make a complete breakfast every morning, there's not much point in cooking from scratch the few things that are as good from a mix.

Pretty much it would come down to having time to serve meat and/or eggs with the pancakes, or pancakes only.

(Be still, my pancreas!)

I don't eat breakfast. So when I'm eating pancakes it's for brunch/lunch - even sometimes dinner. And it isn't a mark of Cain to use a mix. I use White Lily Buttermilk pancake mix. It comes in convenient little packets with enough for 2-3 people (8 pancakes). Robyn

[gfron1]

I come from a family where my dad fried our pancakes in oil, so I've never been particular for light and fluffy. But, today I used Bittman's light and fluffy recipe, subbed in duck eggs, added a T of walnut oil and decreased the baking powder to 1t. When they were cooking I thought they were going to be terrible - turned out they were the best pancakes I have ever had in my life! And...I didn't even fry them.

[BarbaraY]

Buttermilk.

←

Buckwheat and Buttermilk- no denials- the most excellent ingredients.

←

I made myself buckwheat cakes for my breakfast this morning. I use the recipe for Buttermilk Pancakes in Marian Cumming's Breakfast Book subbing 2/3 buckwheat flour and adding a Tablespoon of molasses.

They are tender and light. Just perfect with a smear of apple butter.

[CaliPoutine]

I had Mcdonald's hotcakes for breakfast this morning. They weren't light and fluffy. They served them with margarine and maple flavored corn syrup( I threw that out and used my own pure maple syrup)

THEY SUCKED!!

( we're without a kitchen for 2 weeks while ours is being renovated!!)

[Marigene]

I use either club soda or seltzer water along with the powdered buttermilk when making pancakes as we like them light versus heavy. And a cast iron griddle is a must!

Edited October 7, 2007 by Marigene (log)

[pax]

I used to make all kinds of pancakes until the day I made these ricotta pancakes, my family likes these so much they are stuck on them.

Sift together

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 pinch of salt

In a seperate bowl, mix together until combined

8 oz ricotta cheese

2/3 cup milk

3 egg yolks

Combine contents of both bowls and mix well.

Beat 3 egg whites stiff, then fold into batter gently.

Cook and garnish like normal pancakes.

I often make waffles but haven't found a recipe I really like, if anybody wanted to share those.

If you are really pressed for time, homemade waffles can easily be frozen and tossed in the microwave. My kids like them spread with peanut butter and honey, they eat them rolled up on the go sometimes.

Edited October 8, 2007 by pax (log)

[pansophia]

Mmmm...grandma's buttermilk pancakes up at the cabin. Nothing like it!

She also always used a big old electric griddle. I knew there was some other "secret so I dug out the recipe and it says "Add sugar and baking powder right before cooking (when griddle is hot)." This was always key. Everything else could sit on the counter for a while but those two ingredients didn't go in until the griddle was hot and ready.

Buttermilk Pancakes

1 cup flour

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 tsp soda

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup canola oil

1 Tbs sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 Mix flour, buttermilk, soda, egg, salt, and oil

2 Add sugar and baking powder right before cooking (when griddle is hot)

3 Drop ladleful onto hot griddle,

I haven't tried her recipe yet. I'm scared I'll screw it up even though it looks so simple.

[janeer]

For my all-around basic pancake--which is thin and tender versus cakey (I don't like cakey pancakes at all)--I use sour whole milk, and like to let the batter age a bit. I cook on a 25-year-old stove-top griddle. Here is the recipe; I have a photo in one of the May posts of my blog but couldn't figure out how to upload it here.

3 c. unbleached flour

2 c. whole fresh milk

4 tea baking powder

¼ c melted unsalted butter

1 tea salt

1 c. or more sour milk

2 large brown RI eggs

Sift together flour, b.p., and salt. Beat the eggs; beat in the melted butter and fresh milk, and add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. It will be thick. Add sour milk, mixing, until it is the consistency of heavy cream. Refrigerate overnight or two.

[paulraphael]

Pancakes are the only thing I make just about every week. They might be my favorite food group.

I don't have any real secrets, since just about every variation on every kind of pancake has been explored a thousand times over. But here are some thoughts:

-if you like the taste of buttermilk, but don't make pancakes enough to keep buttermilk around, use cultured butter in the pancakes. I use roughly 1 TB melted butter per cup of flour. Using cultured, low moisture butter gives a wonderful flavor.

-if you make buttermilk pancakes, avoid the temptation to use baking soda for all your leavening. It will neutralize the acid tang of the buttermilk. use baking powder, or combination of baking powder and whipped egg whites.

-you can use the egg whites to control fluffiness. my standard recipe uses two eggs per 1-1/2 cups flour, and 1-1/2 tsp baking powder. Using the eggs whole gives a fairly dense texture. Whipping both egg whites and folding them in mikes them as tall and airy as clouds. Whipping one of the egg whites gives an intermediate fluffiness that I like most of the time.

-tender pancakes are easy to make with all purpose flour and regular milk. if you get tough pancakes it's because you've activated gluten. no need to do this. my method is to stir together the dry ingredients when still dry. i then whisk the wet ingredients together (milk, eggs, melted butter) until frothy. i then gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones with a rubber spatula. whipped egg whites get gently folded in right before cooking. i would not want pacakes more tender than what this produces--they'd be flabby. no cake flour.

-in the summer, i like to make fruit-infused maple syrup. just simmer maple syrup in a small saucepan or butter warmer, and dump in a bunch of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, or whatever you like. they will melt into the syrup, and the excess water will evaporate. serve warm. delicious!

-here's one of my favorite pancake recipes, in recipe gullet:

http://recipes.egullet.org/recipes/r1989.html

[Dianabanana]

I love pancakes but they always make me feel so bloated and enervated. In an experimental mood, I picked up a bag of Pamela's wheat-free buttermilk pancake mix. It's made with rice flour. I had seriously low expectations, but to my very great surprise it turned out to be really good! I make the batter a good deal thicker than the instructions would have it, and they come out light and fluffy and with a slightly nubbly texture. Best of all I don't waste all of Sunday morning beached on the sofa in a pancake stupor.