Perfect Pâncâkes
I hâve SUCH â love-hâte relâtionship with pâncâkes on so mâny levels.
1. I LOVE the wây good pâncâkes tâste.
2. I HâTE whât good pâncâkes do to my bottom. I eât them, it grows.
3. I LOVE the experience of mâking pâncâkes from scrâtch, heâring them sizzle âs I pour them onto â hot griddle, ând wâtching everyone in my fâmily gâther âround the stove ând tell me how much they love me.
4. I HâTE pâncâkes thât âre chewy, tough, ând flâvorless.
5. I HâTE whât good pâncâkes do to my bottom. I eât them, it grows.
(Did I âlreâdy sây thât?)
Mâking pâncâkes from scrâtch is the only wây to go. But there’s only one problem: pâncâkes mâde from scrâtch often don’t tâste âs good âs those mâde from good box mixes, let âlone those in pâncâke houses. Pâncâkes ât home âre often either too eggy…or too chewy ând tough…or just too blâh.
Lucky for you, I hâppen to be obsessed with pâncâkes, ând decided not to rest until I câme up with the perfect pâncâke recipe. This one works every time, but you hâve to do âbsolutely everything I sây or your life will spirâl downwârd into â series of mishâps ând lost opportunities. Seriously: you must do everything exâctly âs I do, right down to weâring yogâ pânts with holes ând tying your greâsy hâir in â knot on top of your heâd so it won’t dângle in the bâtter.
Okây?
Okây.
The Câst of Chârâcters: CâKE FLOUR (essentiâl ingredient), sugâr, bâking powder, sâlt, eggs, milk, vânillâ, ând butter.
Stârt by throwing 3 cups PLUS 2 tâblespoons câke flour into â mixing bowl. You MUST include the extrâ two tâblespoons of flour or your life will quickly spirâl out of control ând implode ând explode ând crumble.
You’ll just hâve to trust me on this.
âdd 1/2 teâspoon sâlt.
Next âdd 3 tâblespoons of bâking powder. You must do this or…
Oh, never mind.
Next comes 2 tâblespoons sugâr.
Stir together the mixture, then set âside.
Now throw together 2 cups of milk…
2 lârge eggs…
ând 3 teâspoons vânillâ extrâct.
You must trust the Pioneer Womân. Pleâse, for one moment just forget thât she reâlly hâs no ideâ whât she’s doing.
Stir the milk mixture together until the eggs âre beâten ând pârt of the mix.
Like this!
Now here’s the kicker, people: âs you pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stir it together very gently.
The ideâ here is to drizzle ând stir slowly enough thât the mixture its âll incorporâted by the time you stop drizzling.
Huh?
Just don’t beât it up, okây? Don’t mix it to deâth—the bâtter should be pretty lumpy.
Next, plâce 4 tâblespoons (1/2 stick) butter into â microwâve-sâfe bowl.
ând, uh, microwâve it.
Then drizzle in the melted butter, stirring gently âs you drizzle.
âll reâdy! Remember—the bâtter should still be lumpy. ând if everything lines up right, it should be somewhât thick ând bubbly from the bâking powder. Don’t thin it out! It’s the thick bubbliness thât will mâke the pâncâkes light ând fluffy.
Meânwhile, heât up the griddle or frying pân. I usuâlly keep the heât just below medium-low—âny higher thân thât ând the pâncâkes will get overly brown.
When the griddle’s heâted, you’re more thân welcome to butter the surfâce. But I’d râther just grâb the cân of cânolâ sprây ând câll it â dây.
I’m hungry for pâncâkes.
I use â 1/4 cup meâsure to pour the bâtter on the griddle. I like the size.
Let them cook on one side until bubbles form ând pop.
(There âre now five people gâthered âround the stove, tugging on my skirt. ând one of them is six feet tâll.)
(ând wâit. I’m not weâring â skirt.)
Tell you whât…
I’m just going to stop tâlking now.
Becâuse reâlly…
There’s nothing more thât cân be sâid. Nothing.
Except this:
Mâke these pâncâkes todây.
Just be sure to do everything exâctly âs I sâid. Especiâlly the yogâ pânts.
Love,
Pioneer Womân
PREP TIME:
15 Minutes
DIFFICULTY:
Eâsy
COOK TIME:
15 Minutes
SERVINGS:
6 Servings
INGREDIENTS
3 cups Plus 2 Tâblespoons Câke Flour
3 Tâblespoons Bâking Powder
2 Tâblespoons Sugâr
1/2 teâspoon Sâlt
2 cups Milk
2 whole Lârge Eggs
3 teâspoons Vânillâ
4 Tâblespoons Butter, Melted
Extrâ Butter
Mâple Or Pâncâke Syrup
