Author Notes
The best bit about homemade pancakes is how easy they are to make and how satisfying they are to eat. A plate of maple-syrup covered hot flapjacks can be dished up in less than 15 minutes - no more time-consuming than scrambled eggs and toast.
The basic pancake is a simple batter of flour, eggs, milk and baking powder. There are stacks of variations on the theme depending on the type of flour you choose (white, wheat, buckwheat), the milk (plain, buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt), and eggs (which can be separated to whip the whites for a fluffier, lighter version- fold these in gently just before cooking). You can also add fruit (we love ripe bananas most, but also good are finely-sliced apple or pear, and, of course, the classic blueberry- all of these added soon after the batter goes into the cook pan) or spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice- be sparing and add with dry ingredients). A squeeze of lemon juice to the wet batter is also another wonderful addition.
Of utmost importance is that the pan or griddle you are using must be preheated; we get our cast-iron skillet heating up while we prepare the batter. (To note: a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet will need little or no butter or oil). When the pancake is ready to be flipped, little bubbles will appear in the center. Serve immediately with real Grade A or Grade B (less refined, more flavorful) maple syrup - imitations not accepted. —Loulies
Ingredients
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2 cups
all-purpose flour
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1 tablespoon
baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon
Kosher or sea salt
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1 tablespoon
sugar (or a wee bit more for a sweeter version)
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2
large eggs
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1 1/2-2 cups
buttermilk (we use powdered buttermilk available in the baking section of most supermarkets), or milk, sour cream or yogurt
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2 tablespoons
melted butter (more to grease pan, if needed, or use oil)
Directions
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Preheat griddle or skillet (we prefer a well-seasoned cast-iron pan) over medium-low heat while you prepare the batter.
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Mix together the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs with milk, then stir in the melted butter. Carefully add this to the dry ingredients, stirring only enough to moisten the flour (no worries about the little lumps).
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If using a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or nonstick griddle there may be no need to butter or oil the pan. Otherwise, add a spare amount (one teaspoon or two should suffice) of butter (or oil) to the pan, melt, and ladle batter into pan, making any size pancake you prefer.
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When little bubbles appear in the center of the pancake, flip and cook until they are golden brown on both sides. Serve with real maple syrup.
--Our basic pancake batter can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two days.
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