s a child, my
mother would often give me a bowl of flour and a cup of water to play with
as she went about her housework. Little did I know that
what I was making with that flour and water was a crude form of a pancake
batter. Today I am more careful in the measuring of my ingredients
but my pancake batter still uses the basic ingredients of flour and a
liquid (milk) to which is added a sweetener (sugar), a leavener (baking
powder) and for richness (an egg and melted butter). What is interesting about this batter is by changing the proportions of dry to wet
ingredients you can change the thickness of the batter.
Pancakes are known around the world by different names. If we make a thin pancake batter
they are known as French crepes, blintz, Chinese pancakes (Bao bing) and
Hungarian palacsinta. A thicker batter makes an American pancake
(also known as griddle cakes or flapjacks), an Australian pikelet, a Scotch
pancake or a drop scone. Both of these batters produce a pancake
that is light and fluffy with a soft crust and
spongy texture. Pancakes can be eaten many ways; by rolling them around a sweet or savory filling; eating
them flat, with butter and maple syrup; or, in its simpler form, with
just a dusting of sugar.
Although pancakes are mainly served for
breakfast they take center stage on Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday (Mardi
Gras), when they are served for supper. The ingredients used to make
pancakes (flour, sugar, butter, milk and eggs) are forbidden during Lent so this is considered a 'feast' before
a 'fast'. It is interesting to note that the word 'Shrove' comes
from the word 'shrive' which is the Tuesday before Lent and the day on
which parishioners shrive, or confess, their sins.
In a large bowl whisk together the
flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In a separate bowl whisk together the
egg, milk, and melted butter. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, all at
once, and stir or whisk just until combined. The batter should have some small
lumps. Make sure you do not over mix the batter or the pancakes will be tough.
Heat a frying pan or griddle over
medium high heat until a few sprinkles of water dropped on the pan or griddle splatter. Using
a pastry brush, brush the pan with a little melted butter.
Using a small ladle or
scoop, pour about 1/4 cup of pancake batter onto the pan, spacing the pancakes a few inches from each other. When
the bottoms of the pancakes are brown and bubbles start to appear on the top
surfaces of the pancakes (2-3 minutes), turn over. Cook
until lightly browned (about 1-2 minutes).
Repeat with remaining
batter, brushing the pan with melted butter between batches.
Serve immediately
with butter and maple syrup.
Makes about 8 - 3-inch (7.5 cm) pancakes. Serves 3-4
people.
For Blueberry Pancakes:
Sprinkle fresh blueberries on the tops of the pancakes just as bubbles
start to appear on the top surface of the frying batter.
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