I always say that a meal of pancakes is basically happiness piled on top of more happiness. It’s a dose for all those Monday blues as well as the perfect snack for a lazy Sunday. You can rarely go wrong with pancakes, because they are just so easy to make, and a fresh batch that makes your home smell like vanilla or cinnamon is good news for everyone. So here are my top tips to keep in mind while making pancakes. Let’s get pancaking!
1. Ideal Ingredients-
When it comes to eggs, milk and butter, I always ensure that they are at room temperature. Also mix your dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately before combining. This allows you to combine all your ingredients evenly.
2. Over mixing is a sin-
I always swear against over mixing. This is crucial while combining your dry and wet ingredients. In doing so, the right trick is to use a spatula to carefully fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones and keep mixing until you get rid of the big flour pockets. Over-mixing will lead to formation of gluten which will make your pancakes dense and chewy.
3. Get the quantity right-
It’s very important to make sure you’re dropping the equal amount of batter on the pan for each pancake. That way you’ll be able to assure that all your pancakes are of the same size. I prefer using a ladle to measure and pour my batter. If you’re making smaller pancakes, using an ice-cream scoop could be a great idea.
4. The Right Pan and Patience-
Always use a heavy bottomed, non-stick pan to make your pancakes. You don’t want to burn ’em. Also, never turn your flame to high while making pancakes. Be patient and let your pancakes take their own sweet time. If you’re impatient with your pancakes and flip them before time, you run the risk of encountering under-cooked pancakes.
5. The perfect flip for the perfect fluff-
Flip your pancakes only when the underside is brown and the bubbles on the top have popped. Also, don’t flip it immediately in one go. Always lift the edge slightly with the spatula before an entire 180 degree flip. Remember that in doing so, you have to be as gentle as lifting a sleeping baby out of its cradle.
6. Be ready for the not-so-perfect first one-
Whether you’re making pancakes or crepes, the first one will never be perfect. Don’t let that disappoint you! It’ll keep getting better as you figure out the temperature of the pan and consistency of your batter.
7. Enjoy them-
Pancakes are best enjoyed warm with butter and maple syrup. Maybe a scoop of vanilla ice cream , if you’re feeling indulgent. However , I like to make my pancakes even more interesting by trying it with fun combinations like berry preserve and whipped cream. Pancakes with chocolate syrup, nutella and chocolate chips are every chocolate lover’s dream come true. Alternatively, if you are a man of more tropical taste buds, I might add that pancakes can also be served with your favourite fruits.
You can try my basic pancakes recipe HERE. For all you health freaks out there, you can try out my Healthy Pancakes that use oats instead of flour and bananas HERE.
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