International Recipes and Cooking Around the World

Pancakes

Stack of pancakes

(American skillet cakes)

Image by mandydale

5
Average: 4.8 (5 votes)

Also known as flapjacks, hotcakes or griddlecakes, pancakes are a traditional breakfast food in the United States. Variations of the pancake, sweet and savory, are found around the world, from the French crèpe to Indian dosas.

In England, Canada, Ireland and Australia, pancakes are traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) — a day sometimes known as Pancake Day — as a way to use up rich foods like butter, milk and eggs before the fasting of Lent.

4 servings

Ingredients

  • Milk -- 2 cups
  • Lemon juice -- 1 tablespoon
  • Flour -- 2 cups
  • Sugar -- 2 tablespoons
  • Baking powder -- 2 teaspoons
  • Salt -- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Eggs, beaten -- 2
  • Butter, melted -- 3 tablespoons
  • Oil -- 2 or 3 tablespoons

Method

  1. Mix the milk and lemon juice together in a medium bowl and set aside for 3 or 4 minutes.
  2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together into a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and melted butter into the soured milk.
  3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just enough to moisten the flour and make a lumpy batter. Do not overmix the batter or your pancakes will be tough.
  4. Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium flame. Add the oil to the hot skillet and wipe out the excess with a paper towel. Ladle about 1/3 cup of the batter into the skillet and cook until bubbles form and pop on the top.
  5. Flip the pancake over and brown it on other side. Remove to a baking sheet and hold in a warm (200˚F) oven while you repeat with the rest of the batter. Add more oil to the skillet as needed.
  6. Serve pancakes with butter and maple syrup, fruit syrup or jam.

Pancake Variations

  • Buttermilk Pancakes: Substitute buttermilk for the milk and lemon juice.
  • Flavored pancakes: Immediately after pouring batter into the skillet, drop some sliced bananas, blueberries, crumbled bacon or chocolate chips over the top. They will bake into the pancake.
  • Silver Dollar Pancakes: Make small 3-inch pancakes.
  • Whole Wheat Pancakes: Use whole-wheat flour for some or all of the regular white flour.

Disclaimer

Whats4eats is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

You Might Also Like