The Ultimate Buttermilk Pancakes

I found this how-to guide to make buttermilk pancakes to be very interesting and, by far, the best pancake how-to-cook guide I have found so far (no wonder it is one of Google Knol’s most viewed knols.)

Unlike other recipe articles that come with the ingredients list and step-by-step how-to-cook, this knol explains the reason why should we make the pancakes from scratch, instead of buying them off-the-store-shelf. The main motivation Scott Jenson wrote this knol is to encourage people who can’t cook to try making pancakes.

Why? Because it’s easy to make the ultimate pancake.

The knol will help you from the preparation of equipments and ingredients to enjoying and being fun with the pancakes – Reading Scott’s knol is like reading a how-to-cook as an art!

The basic recipe

You need 2 bowls:

The wets

1.5 cups (350ml) buttermilk
1 egg
3 Tablespoons (50g) melted butter – use microwave
2 Teaspoons (10ml) Vanilla (add 1 more for kids!)

The drys

1 cup (125g) white flour
3 Tbsp (40g) sugar
1/2 tsp (3g) baking soda (make sure it’s not 3 years old…
1/2 tsp (2g) baking powder
1/2 tsp (4g) salt

Whisk each one lightly. Add roughly half of the dry mix into the wet and whisk smooth, not too long. Add the remainder of the dry mix and barely whisk together. Make sure all of the flour is mixed in.

If possible, let the batter rest for a few minutes to allow the baking soda and baking powder ‘work’ – this will make for airier pancakes.

Cooking the pancakes

Use non-stick pan (important.) Heavier is better as it spreads the heat, prevents burning, and browns the pancakes nicely. Heat the pan on the lowest setting on your stove top to avoid burning the pancakes. For an electric skillet, set it to 325°F.

Drop a 1/4 cup scoop of batter onto the pan. You might need to spread it around just a bit if the batter is extra thick.

The most important point is to cook the pancakes slowly. A good rule of thumb is 90-120 seconds per side. When you flip, you’ve got to do it quickly so it doesn’t splash across the pan.

I suggest you to visit Scott’s knol for a more detailed how-to-cook, including some tips and tricks.