By Jo Carroll
If there is one thing I can count on in my household, it is that my fiancé will be requesting that I make pancakes to accompany any holiday.
Whether it’s Christmas, Memorial Day, even Flag Day: any excuse to ask for pancakes is one that he will take.
This recipe has been one that I’ve taken the time to formulate over the five years that we have been together in order to make the perfect fluffy flapjack and satisfy the pancake appetite.
So whether you make it for a family brunch with a side of sausage and mimosas, or you make it for a quick Sunday morning eat here is my recipe:
This recipe yields 10 pancakes
For this recipe you will need:
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of salt
a pinch of allspice (if desired)
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk OR regular milk
2 tablespoons any neutral oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
First, in a medium bowl add your flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and allspice. Whisk to combine and set to the side.
In another medium bowl add your egg and beat thoroughly. Once done you can add your oil, milk, and vanilla. If you are looking for fluffy pancakes, be sure to use buttermilk as it will give about twice the rise. However, regular milk is just fine and what I typically use when I would like a quick breakfast.
Next you will pour your whole bowl of wet ingredients into your dry and quickly combine them. The longer you beat the mixture the tougher your pancakes will be. You should only whisk these for 15-20 seconds. If your batter looks lumpy then you’ve done it right!
Now that you have a batter, put a large skillet on the stove top and add a pat of butter or margarine. This will give the pancakes a deep and rich flavor that will elicit compliments all around. If you are using an electric or induction stovetop do not go higher than halfway on your heat dial. If you have a gas range, you can go slightly past the halfway point.
Finally, when the butter has melted all the way, using a quarter cup measure, you will place the batter in the pan and begin your steps towards deliciousness. You’ll know to turn the pancakes when the edges of the cakes stop to glisten and the top of the pancake looks porous.
If you burn the first two pancakes do not worry, these are known as “the test pancakes” and are a time-honored tradition in cooking before coffee. When you run out of batter you are done and can now enjoy a plate of pancakes with whatever assorted fruits, breakfast meats, jams, and syrups you have on hand! Happy eating friends.