Help With Pancakes

This shouldn't seem like a big deal but my daughter really loves pancakes when we go out but I can't make them here at home. I have watched cooking videos and what not but none seem to help. I can basically cook anything else breakfast related but pancakes are really starting to frustrate me. My wife is ok at cooking them but I'm the one that usually makes breakfast. I would really like some pointers from you guys.

My pancakes sometimes taste too doughy. There are also times where they are just way too flimsy. I have even tried the bottles where you just add water/milk, shake, and pour the batter. Nothing seems to work. How do you make a good pancake?

Buy the frozen kind and microwave them.
My kids love them.

reply to post by Oakislander


first off whisk dry mix together before adding wet ingredients. Do not over mix, kinda like brownie batter..just enough wet ingredients to moisten. Non stick spray is awsome and don't press them. Stacking after preparing makes em' soggy. Good luck

If your pancakes are doughy , reduce your heat , medium - low heat . If there not fluffy enough add a bit more baking powder . Overmixing tends to produce flat pancakes cause you take all the airbubbles out of the batter !

Originally posted by PutAQuarterIn
reply to post by Oakislander

 

first off whisk dry mix together before adding wet ingredients. Do not over mix, kinda like brownie batter..just enough wet ingredients to moisten. Non stick spray is awsome and don't press them. Stacking after preparing makes em' soggy. Good luck

Would also like to add that pancakes will show you when they are ready to be flipped, there will be little craters(Thats what I call them) on the top, when half of the pancake has these flip, if to brown for your liking flip sooner. Had to master this to get my degree. also when you add you batter the pan try sliced up a banana, blueberries,walnuts, ETC and sprinkle with powder sugar.

if u buy the flower premixed u just add an egg a litle bit of salt and milk a spoon of oil so it doesn stick to the pan
stir very well for a few minutes u dont want it to thick just wright
u keep adding milk while stirring untill u get the texture u are looking for
now heeat up the pan till its cvery hot
now gently poor a bit with a big spoon burn it on both sides then lower ur fire
await a few minutes and voila best pancakes u ever had mate
gl

Ok,the frozen ones are out of the question.
I use bisquick,follow the directions.
Got my pan on med.high.
Pour in the batter and wait for the bubbles to appear on top of the batter I poured into the pan.
I carefully flip the cake and watch it fluff up.
I check the bottom of it to make sure it is the perfect golden brown and not burnt.
I take it out of the pan and serve.
Repeat.

reply to post by PutAQuarterIn


Yeah, I think one of my problems is over mixing. Thanks

Originally posted by kdog1982
Ok,the frozen ones are out of the question.
I use bisquick,follow the directions.
Got my pan on med.high.
Pour in the batter and wait for the bubbles to appear on top of the batter I poured into the pan.
I carefully flip the cake and watch it fluff up.
I check the bottom of it to make sure it is the perfect golden brown and not burnt.
I take it out of the pan and serve.
Repeat.

Yeah, she doesn't seem to like the frozen ones too much. Thanks for the tips. I always had my temp on medium exactly.

reply to post by Oakislander


anytime friend...Oh don't for get chocolate chips either kids will go crazy

Great tips above for the OP, guys. Stars all around...

Watch your heat, I like mine about 7 out of 10 on my stoves dial..


I do the easy way with premixed batter...just add water..

And usually, everybody sits at the table with plates and butter and syrup ready(I grew up in a house of 6 boys and two girls..)


and I pass em out hot pan (cast iron imho) to plate, to each person in turn..(who's up first? me me mememe!)


and I fry em till everybody is full.. (no more we're stuffed)

ETA; @kdog I must admit there are frozen ones in the fridge..

My experience with pancakes goes like this. Our old stove was natural gas, I couldn't make a damn good pancake on that to save my life. My girlfriend and I moved into a new apartment which has an electric stove, saved my life. The trick is to get your pan hot enough so they become that perfect golden brown but not too hot as to where they become burnt. When the pan is preheating flick some water on it, when the water evaporates you're ready to make some pancakes. I actually use the store bought mix instead of the name brand stuff, first off don't measure eye ball it. You'll know if you added too much of anything and it's easy to fix as you just add more of the other ingredient to compensate. I also noticed adding eggs helps the mix a heck of a lot. Good luck and keep practicing!

reply to post by kdog1982


med high?
wrong ,it should be full for the first 10 seconds or so
then flip it , u are able to swing the pancake into the air do a mid air flip and then return to the pan wright?
its the real secret of a good pancake flip it over in the air
so flip it keep the full gas burn the other side till its no longer dow
then turn it dow, the gas till like 2 or 3 or one if u want to be safe
a few more tips add a little bit of (brown) sugar its great for flavour and brown helps with the colorin
also dont mess with the do once its done,dont ask me why but its true
u can sea when the pancake is done by the look of it
when its done it will get a oily look on top,this takes practice but once u master it u wil
be able to tell to a second if its done
there are to kinds of pancakes
really flat ones itswhat i described for u
and tasty big ones ,
u can mix in the do raisins ,apple ,bacon
it goes great with yelly and other thing but im watching a game now gl!
ask if u want more help il be glad to

[color=dodgerblue]My secret for fluffy pancakes:

Mix your dry ingredients in a bowl. Have your wet ingredients measured out and ready to go, but don't mix them in yet.

Take your eggs (however many the recipe calls for) and put them in either a metal or a glass bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat them until they form stiff peaks. You should be able to turn the bowl upside-down without the eggs spilling out.

Mix everything but the eggs together until mixed well. Gently fold the eggs in the the batter until just combined.

Like another poster mentioned, they are ready to flip when they are covered in tiny bubbles and the edges are well formed.

Fluffiest pancakes. Ever. And it works for basically any recipe that calls for eggs.

Edited to Add: Also be sure that you aren't packing the flour tightly into the measuring cup. Extra flour=doughy pancakes.

Basic recipe:

1 cup of flour
1 tablespoon baking powder (make sure it is fresh, it can loose its ability to raise)
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
wisk dry ingredients and add:
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
wisk to combine until mixture resembles batter (you may need to add a bit more flour). Batter should run off of wisk and form quickly absorbed ripples in bowl.

Heat griddle to medium and butter generously. Use soup laddle and distribute batter onto griddle. Wait until bubbles stop forming on first side (aprox 2-3 mins), flip and continue cooking until done. Keep covered on warmed platter until all batter has been used. Whisk batter quickly and rebutter griddle each time more batter is used.

This makes enough for 2 people and can be rounded up accordingly.

reply to post by AugustusMasonicus


dont wait for to or three minutes
max thirtyy seconds but ten sec is more like it
then flip same thing again
just like a stake really

Originally posted by thebestnr1
dont wait for to or three minutes
max thirtyy seconds but ten sec is more like it
then flip same thing again
just like a stake really

Thanks for the tip but I had a restaurant for 13 years and cooked professionally. The reason I gave those instructions is this is how the recipe needs to be prepared, these are not pre-mixed pancakes.

reply to post by AugustusMasonicus

ok
good for u congrats
maybe u should write a book???

to the op
how are those pancakes coming along?

Pancakes are Poisoned

Restaurant pancakes and most premixes
contain ALUMINUM which is a TOXIC METAL.
It makes them taste better but is BAD for you.

Originally posted by Oakislander
I can basically cook anything else breakfast related but pancakes are really starting to frustrate me.

That's funny - never know what you're gonna get on ATS.

I can't cook them either.

They seem so simple - - but they're really not. At least not if you want them perfect and consistent.

A heat controlled flat surface griddle helps me. Getting the "heat" just right seems to be a factor.