Three tricks for tender, air pancakes
1. Give your pancakes air structure and meringue, borrowing a technique that gives them their cloud-like sequence: beaten egg whites:
Using the number of eggs required in the recipe, separate yolks from whites.Mix the egg yolks with the rest of the wet ingredients, following the recipe instructions.Combine dry ingredients to make the batter.Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold the beaten whites into the batter and cook the pancakes immediately.
2. Or try to replace some or all of the liquid in your recipe with a carbonated beverage (plain or flavored seltzer water, beer, cider, ginger beer) to make your pancakes very light and delicate.Add carbonation just before you are ready to pour pancake batter on the griddle.
3. This next trick works with any batter which comprises a double-acting baking powder: Mix the batter and let it rest in the refrigerator for a few minutes, or even quickly.This allows the gluten to relax so the pancakes are gentle and allow baking powder to form bubbles in the batter.After the batter is resting, do not stir it, or bubbles deflate.
How to cook pancakes
Preheat your griddle nonstick pan with a heavy bottom or well-seasoned cast iron skillet to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (185 degrees Celsius), or until a drop of water will not be through the pan.
Lightly coat a hot pan with vegetable oil spray, or clarified butter (regular oil burns too quickly).
do the test with a sacrificial pancake and adjust the temperature up or down as needed.If your fucking scorched on the outside and raw on the inside, turn off the heat.
When you are satisfied that you have reached the perfect temperature of the pan, ladle into puddles as many batters as your pan is easy to hold, leaving little room between pancakes for easy clicking of.
Do not push your damn
Pancake ready to be inverted when it is dry around the edges, and bubbles formed over the top.You are allowed to look to see if the base is golden-brown before you click them.While you are waiting impatiently the second side to cook, resist the impulse to press down with your spatula pancake.Pressure will not cook it a little faster, but will destroy all the effort you have made to achieve a fluffy, light, lovely pancakes.
Waiting - The hardest part
Pancakes are best eaten fresh from the griddle, so you can enjoy them crispy, fluffy perfection.This may mean serving them a few at a time.If you absolutely must keep waiting pancakes, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place them, uncovered, in a warm oven.Do not stack or cover them - pairs makes them moist.
Fun with pancakes
To add some fun to the table for lunch, use a turkey baster to squeeze the batter into the projects, initials and other fun shapes.The batter stream in non-stick pancake form or oiled metal cookie cutters for more unusual forms.Butter and syrup - a classic, but try to jam, honey, peanut butter, lemon juice, powdered sugar, whipped cream and fresh fruit.Better yet, open buffet seasonings pancake and let everyone build their own.
How to Cook Pancakes
