You need to know how to make pancakes. You, with the expertise in meatball formation and molten chocolate cake-baking and summer roll assembly. Pancakes are essential breakfast food, because they’re not so much a food as an expression of love.
Plus, they’re essentially easy, a little batter mixed up and then cooked on the stove. It’s all right there in the name, “pan” and “cake.” To make the batter, you’ll want two bowls, and a couple of items from your fridge and pantry. First, you mix the wet ingredients together (eggs, buttermilk, melted butter).
Which you then combine with the dry (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda). Stir together, not worrying if you leave a few lumps. Then, cook the batter in a large, flat pan. That’s it, that’s really it. Which means you should put down that pancake mix right this second. You don’t need it.
One thing…if you can’t find buttermilk, here’s a trick: combine the same amount of milk (regular or 2%) with the juice of half a lemon, some vinegar, or a big dollop of yogurt with live cultures. Let the two sit together, hanging out, for about half an hour, then go ahead with the pancake recipe. You’ll have just created homemade buttermilk!
Here’s one final thing you should know about pancakes: sometimes the first pancake just doesn’t come out right. The pan is too hot or the pan is too cold. You haven’t salted enough. You used too big a scoop of batter. That’s okay. Toss the first one (or eat it yourself–cook’s snack!), and keep on going, adjusting the heat or seasoning or size as needed. The rest of the pancakes will be perfect, or close enough.
Get the whole recipe below!
Buttermilk Pancakes
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups buttermilk
Fruit and maple syrup for garnish
Bacon or sausage for the side
Preheat the oven to 200°F and place a heatproof platter in the warm oven. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter (reserve the rest for cooking).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs and buttermilk. Whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture.
Heat a large pan on medium-high heat, then working in small batches, grease the pan with some of the remaining butter (or oil) and pour small amounts of pancake batter to create 4 to 6-inch disks. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, or until the sides of the pancakes have set and the bubbles rise to the surface. Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until the centers are cooked and golden brown. Transfer the finished pancakes to the warmed platter and repeat with the remaining pancake batter.
Garnish the pancakes with your choice of fruit or maple syrup (or both!). Enjoy.
