Pancakes are the breakfast chameleon, the food of a thousand faces, the Proteus of the pan. The basic recipe follows, but it’s the variations that get me all excited.
1 cup all-purpose flour (or 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
1 large egg
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Mix the dry ingredients together (through salt) in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together (milk through oil). Whisk the wet into the dry until you have a batter that will coat the back of a spoon. Don’t overmix–you don’t want to form gluten and make your pancakes tough. Pour out scant 1/4 cups of the batter onto a hot griddle or pan over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes on each side, flipping once.
This Sunday-morning superhero dresses in a variety of costumes. Try any of these variations:
- Apple-cinnamon pancakes: Add 1 medium apple, shredded, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon to the batter. Serve with brown sugar and butter.
- Banana pancakes: Add 1 large mashed banana to the batter. Serve with toasted walnuts.
- Pear pancakes: Add 1 medium pear, shredded, and 1 tsp lemon juice to the batter.
- Lemon pancakes: Add the zest of 1 lemon and half of its juice to the batter. Serve with powdered sugar. Or chocolate chips. Oh yes. Also works great with an orange or other citrus fruit.
- Berry pancakes: After you pour your pancakes onto the pan, quickly drop 4-8 small berries into the batter. Works well with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cut-up strawberries. I like to keep plenty of syrup on hand to balance the added tartness.
- Hearty oat pancakes: Add 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup rolled oats (or even leftover oatmeal) to the batter. Great with fruit served on top. Also works with just about any hearty, non-sugary cereal with small pieces; muesli-style cereals with dates and raisins work great.
- Candy bar pancakes: Add 1/4 cup shredded coconut and 1/4 cup toasted walnuts to the batter. Drop chocolate chips into the pancakes as they cook.
Inspired by the deliciousness of pancakes, my girlfriend and I once imagined a pancake-based superhero whose name was Flapjack. His power consisted of emitting huge pancakes the size of mattresses, which would enravel and trap bad guys in griddle-hot justice. His catch phrase was, “You’ve just been FLAPJACKED!” And now you have been, too.
Great subjecty matter! Add whole wheat pancakeswith pecans and craisins–My favorite. One can also use yougurts– eg lemon, orange or peach as a topping instead of syrup. Great stuff.