Pancakes

Im trying to figure out what exactly are you doing wrong... :confused: I use a lightly oiled/buttered nonstick pan, on med heat and turn my pancakes when the bottom is nicely golden and the top has bubbled and is not really runny. Box or scratch doesn't seem to matter. You have to remember to adjust your heat so the pan doesnt get too hot. I also don't whip out all my air like Ive seen some people do. How do they expect it to fluff up?

What kind of pan are you using? I had a huge cast iron pan.....glorious pan but it disappeared after my mom visited. :( Made the best pancakes. ~sigh~

I agree with you about IHOP...I get sick after eating there all the time. Guess that's why I don't go anymore.

Id like to confess that I have actually took one of my baking sheets and used it to make pancakes. :blush: Put it right on top of the range. So I don't think its any special pan you need. I tried a few hundred different ways until I settled on this one. Maybe its just practice?

Give more info on what you are doing....Im starting to feel like Im flapping in the wind here. :lol:

The problem is in the wording. If you say "I love paninicakes" your pancakes will turn out great. Try it! it works for my 11 yr old.

Ziggy, I am in the same boat as you. I am pancaked cursed. I can't make a good pancake to save my life. Even at work when I was doing breakfast. One day I would make them and the next, one of the other cooks. Same recipe, same griddle,yet his were great and mine sucked. I have just come to terms with the fact that if I want good pancakes we either go out for breakfast or my wife makes them!!!

Ziggy,
have you tried one of those pans you flip with the two sides? They say they are fool proof...oh sorry:blush: All you need to do is buy four so you can get them done in the same time.
Really though, my son uses a griddle that we put directly over the burners. He uses good ole aunt J with added pure vanilla, cinnamon. we have also found that corn oil works the best.
His motto is don't flip em till all the bubbles have popped. and of course I love paninicakes. BTW the first batch always go to the beagles, don't know why but the second batch and then on are great.
keep trying!

I prefer using my crêpe pan, but I only have one so pankakes could take all day; so I whip out my other 2 regular frypans. I like using clarified butter bc I don't like the taste of corn oil on something light/sweet. Besides, who can argue against butter?

The trick I think is to make sure your baking powder isn't expired. Otherwise it won't do the job. Also important: use low heat. That way it won't be burnt on the bottom when it's time to flip. Only flip when the bubbles have come up and popped, as stated above. It should be almost cooked through when you're ready to flip.

Good luck!

;)

I loved my old cast iron pan since it was always well seasoned. But anyway, I use either veggie oil or butter, not a lot just enough so that they don't stick. And LOW HEAT is definately the way to go. You can look at it this way. When you cook other food the first side that hits the pan is the side that's gonna be served up right? So when that side has a nice golden color to it and all the bubbles are gone flip it and da da dum. Finished.

Has anyone seen those infomercials for the fool proof pancake pans? Looks like its only bad cooking to me. Those people are really exaggerating aren't they....no body cooks pancakes and eggs in THAT much oil! I dont even cook my eggs in oil period. Butter or I cant believe its not butter. (My mom hates that stuff, have no idea why)

Jodi

I'm rice cursed, so I know what you mean.

Re: Pancakes...I've made them several different ways and the way I think you ought to try includes whipping the egg whites separately and folding them into the batter. This will definitely yield a fluffy pancake. Try sifting the flour with the powder/soda to lighten it. You don't need an electric griddle to make great 'cakes. Also, if it's light and fluffy you're after, do a search on the Cooking Light website. http://www.cookinglight.com. They have quite a few recipes lightened by whipped egg whites.

yes, i have seen those pancake pans. they show people eating an 8-stack of pancakes, but since they cook one at a time, i think it would take 20 minutes of cooking time to feed one person.

i am SURE this won't be of any help, but i just made THE BEST pancakes. the trick is that you have to spend two weeks making nancy silverton's sourdough starter. after that, you have to feed the starter three times a day with flour and water in order to maintain it. BUT, in addition to great bread, you can make these great sourdough pancakes by just adding a little maple syrup, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and eggs to some of the starter. of course, it is like having a perpetual toddler in the house, but it sure does make fabulous pancakes.

I've made those sourdough pancakes several times because I hate throwing out any of my starter. They're very good and not too sour. However, I think I still prefer regular buttermilk pancakes. I used to make pancakes quite often because my ex and his dog (aka Theo) liked my pancakes and he (the ex not the dog) was a fussy eater. I've done the beaten egg whites and that does lighten up the pancakes. However, I like a more substantial pancake and can't be bothered with that extra step most days.

One thing I do that I haven't seen mentioned yet is to mix the flour into the wet ingredients until just incorporated. I use a very light hand with the whisk or rubber spatula.

Hey! I did say not to beat the batter into submission. :D

I use the "buttermilk, fold the flour into the dry ingredients, whisk egg whites separately and fold in last" method. As Risa says and ShawtyCat alludes to, gently does it. It's OK if there are a few specks of raw flour showing in the batter.
I have one of those Magnalite 2 sided griddles (flat top on one side and ridged on the other) that I use for pancakes because you an do 4 good sized cakes at once. It's always a bit tricky getting the heat just right so the first batch usually goes to the cook :)
I used to use whole butter on the griddle (for obvoius reasons ;)) but the milk fat solids would burn and brown the pancakes before they were ready to flip. Then I used PAM spray oil. It took care of the burning problem but didn't do much for the taste. I like the clarified butter idea. I think I will try that next time.
You know how in some recipes they say to mix the egg yolks and buttermilk then add melted butter? I don't like the little globules of butter that are created when it partly solidifies in the cold liquid. So I whisk the melted butter into the egg yolks (like a holladaise) then add the buttermilk. It may be my imagination but I believe it produces a smoother textured pancake.

Jock

perfect pancakes

I cut this recipe out of Bon Apetit magazine (I think) about 5 years ago and it's the only one I've used since... I have modified the procedure slightly to the way I make them. The ingredients are same as published but you can cut back on the sugar and/or butter slightly if you'd like. Play around once you have done it this way.

3 lg eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 stick butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

butter (or clarified butter) for pan
warm maple syrup for serving

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 250F.
Sift dry ingredients together into a med bowl and set aside.
Whisk eggs, sugar, and melted butter together in another medium bowl until blended. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately in 3 additions, whisking just until blended after each addition.
Melt enough whole butter in heavy medium non-stick skillet over medium heat just to coat bottom. Ladle enough batter into the pan to spread to the size pancake you prefer. (Immediately rotate the skillet or gently use the back of your ladle to spread the batter.) Cook until bubbles form on surface and bottom is brown, about 1 minute. Turn pancake and cook until bottom is brown and pancake is cooked through, about 1 minute.
Transfer to baking sheet or toaster oven pan and place into oven to keep warm while cooking the remaining pancakes.
Serve with warm maple syrup.

Don't leave them in the oven too long in a single layer or they will dry out. Try tenting them very loosely with aluminum foil or turn the oven off after adding the first batch.
Alternately, if the pancakes get a bit soft from condensation while stacked in the oven waiting for the rest of the batch, I flip them in the hot skillet with the heat off to dry them.

These are so tasty (probably from the sugar) that any other pancakes are no comparison. Good luck; any questions, e-mail me.;)

The Perfect Pancake

Hey folks i can honestly say i have cooked a Gazillion Pancakes in my time . I worked for 2 1/2 years at The Little Nugget Diner in downtown Reno where one of our specials was a pancake sandwich for 99 cents . I used to go through 10 to 15 gallons of pancake batter on weekdays (every day & thats just day shift ) and 20 to 25 gallons on weekends , not to mention the egg on top of the cakes . And Im not talking little cakes either , we used a Pancake Gun which gave us an 9 inch cake on a 10 inch plate .
So here is how we did it . We used Krusteaze Pancake mix and we used our mixer with the whip . Follow the directions on the bag and as Shawty has allready stated , DONT OVERMIX ........
Now something else I like to do is let my batter rest in the walk in for at least a 1/2 hour before use . Also I never used day old batter as it goes flat . To cook on a grill I use a 325 degree grill and i put just a little pan and grill oil on it and then wipe it off so you just have a nice oiled grill . Put your batter on using whatever means you have at your disposal ( I really suggest a pancake gun for volume and consistency ) . Do not touch the pancake untill the batter has formed little bubble holes all over the top . Flip the cake smoothly and gently and watch it fluff , do not touch the cake at all as in pressing it down while it is rising . We are making pancakes and not tortillas here . About 1 1/2 minutes on this side and your ready to plate . I never like to stack my pancakes more than 3 high as it tends to smush the lower ones . Trust ne this method is bulletproof , of course this is just my opinion . Doug

I love pancakes!
I have made lots of pancakes,.
early had some problems but not for a lng time.
How do you like your pancakes, a little bit fluffy, or giant fluffy, maybe silver doller pancakes!
Make the batter from scratch, there is maybe 1000 variations, let it rest like crepe batter for 20 min, must be nice and thick, use butter to cook with, only flip once, good pan is suggested but also not necissary.
try a few different recipes out.
My sister makes her pancakes fro a moosewwod cookbook and there real nice too, use's jogurt and buttermilk.
goodluck.:D