Get Well Forever

Recipe for Pancakes: Pancakes are popular all around the world and are part of almost every country’s cuisines and culture. It has various versions from American fluffy stacked pancakes which are served mostly with maple syrup to Blinis (a yeasted Russian pancake) to French crepes to desi Indian dosa served with sambhar (a type of curry) and coconut chutney.

Many countries like the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, France, and the USA even celebrate Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday. You don’t require any chefs and you don’t have to go to the restaurants for enjoying these worldwide famous Pancakes.

It is fairly easy to make them at your home by yourself. These are usually served during breakfast but there is not any hard and fast rule. Pancakes can be enjoyed at any time of day.

I normally make Pancakes during evening snacks or whenever I am not in the mood of making any meal of the day and want to just laze around because Pancakes are easy to make with simple ingredients you will surely have in your kitchen cabinets. Check out our article on healthy vegetarian snacks.

Secondly, it only requires 15-20 minutes to cook. So, this makes Pancakes one of the best breakfast option for busy professionals who have so much to do before going to work in the morning and can’t waste a single second of their day

If you are a true health freak there is no need to worry:

You can even give your pancake a healthy spin by using whole grain flour (wheat, rye, barley, brown rice, etc.) instead of all-purpose flour or by adding some nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashew nuts, etc.), seeds like chia seeds or sesame seeds and fresh fruits like banana, apple, blueberry or any fruit literally to make it fiber, antioxidants and protein-rich.

Kids are difficult and picky when it comes to eating. But they are going to love those yummy and healthy Pancakes when you will add toppings of their choice and their favorite nuts and fruits with the batter. Yes!! Pancakes are for everyone.

Health benefits of pancakes:

I have already told you about how a health freak can turn a basic pancake into a healthier one but it does not mean that a basic pancake does not have any health benefits.

Pancakes are rich in carbs and give fuel to our body. Yes, it is true whenever I eat pancakes in my breakfast I feel full for the whole day as it gives us the energy to do our daily work actively.

Pancakes have both sweet and savory tastes so it completes the need for daily intake of sugar and sodium. Pancakes added with milk and various fruits and nuts are rich in almost every vitamin and minerals. These all make it a wholesome diet.

I love eating Pancakes and love experimenting with ingredients to make my own version of it. I tested out some pancake recipes from the internet too but trust me you can always try your own recipe and method.

If you haven’t got a chance to try making Pancakes then don’t wait just read the recipe I have shared. These are so easy to make.

But before going to the recipe of a basic one let me tell you some cool facts about Pancakes:

In France, wish is made while turning a Pancake by holding the handle of a frying pan with one hand and coin on the other hand.

William Shakespeare was very fond of Pancakes and he always used to mention them in his play. The town of Olney, England hosts an annual pancake race on “Pancake Day” since 1445.

Some people may suffer from an allergic reaction known as “Pancake syndrome” after eating Pancake made up of mite contaminated flour in some tropical countries.

Incredible..!!! That was quite a knowledge. Now let’s jump to the recipe for the Pancakes you can easily make at home with scratch and simple ingredients that are available in every household.

Ingredients for making Pancakes:

For making basic Pancakes you will require-

• 1 cup all-purpose flour. I usually use wheat flour as it is healthier and is easily available in every Indian kitchen.
• 1 cup milk or buttermilk.     
• 1 egg. You can avoid adding the egg and instead add 1 mashed banana as I do. We recommend using mashed banana.
• 1 tablespoon butter /oil.
• 2 tablespoon sugar.
• 1/2 tablespoon salt (for balancing sweetness).
• 1 tablespoon baking powder.
• Topping– I’m sure just like me, my brother and my friends, you prefer your pancake with different flavors or toppings, right? Well, you can use honey, jam, butter, chocolate syrup, or anything according to your taste. Americans normally use maple syrup as a topping but I am an Indian and I have my own “Jugaad” for that so, if you are like me then you can melt Cadbury dairy milk chocolate bar and use this as a topping. Believe me, this self-made topping is a perfect combination with mashed banana Pancakes (Check out our Banana bread recipe).

Recipe for Pancakes: Making perfect fluffy Pancakes:

Pancakes are made in two ways- By baking in the oven and topping on the pan. But I don’t get it why to bake it on the oven when it is named as a “Pancake.” LOL!! Please excuse me for my logic and let me tell you the recipe first.

Step 1.

First of all, mix all the ingredients mentioned above in a bowl and make the batter for Pancakes. Whisk/mix it properly. Avoid any big lump formation (fine/small lumps are okay). The batter should not be too runny or too thick. To check the consistency of batter take some batter in a spoon or ladle and lift it gently above the bowl. The batter should be thick but able to run slowly off the spoon/ladle. Resting the batter for 5-10 minutes gives pancakes extra hydration and by that time baking powder also gets activated. So, if you have some extra time you should let the batter rest. You can even prepare the batter a day before and refrigerate it.

Step 2.

Preheat your pan/griddle on medium heat. Pancakes will be perfect and easy to flip if you use a non-stick pan/griddle. Now grease the pan with butter or oil. Wipe out any extra oil/butter.

Step 3.

Using a ladle or measuring cup pour some batter into the pan starting from the middle. Slowly pour some batter in a circular motion to make pancakes perfectly round and evenly shaped.

Step 4.

Let them cook for some time. Don’t rush. The lower surface of pancakes should be golden brown. Flip them with the help of spatula when you see bubbles and burst on the upper surface. It feels awesome to see those pancakes rise rapidly. For aesthetics, you can make 8-10 pancakes and stack them over each other and serve warm with toppings of your choice.

You have to accept the fact that the first Pancake will never be your best. It was a disaster for me when I tried it out for the first time. But there are tricks and tips for everything.

If you want to make café style perfect pancakes then here are few tips for you to use in this recipe for pancakes-

• If you don’t want your Pancakes to be flat then don’t forget to check for baking powder’s expiry date.
• Mix your dry ingredients well if you don’t want Pancakes to be lumpy.
• Also, do not overmix the batter, or don’t make it leathery.
• Using a non-stick pan or pan thick base will make the job easy for you.
• Do not overheat the pan.
• Grease the pan well.
• If you don’t want to burn your Pancakes then using oil in place of butter is the best option.
• Adding buttermilk instead of milk will make your Pancakes softer and tender.
• I have already told you that resting your batter for some time is always good.

FAQs:

Question 1: Are pancakes healthy?

Answer: It depends on the ingredients used and method of preparation. You can make pancakes healthy if you want. This recipe for pancakes is perfectly healthy.

Question 2: Are pancakes good for breakfast?

Answer: If your pancakes are made from refined flour and topped with high-sugar syrups then these are not healthy at all. They can make you gain extra weight. Follow this recipe to make healthy pancakes.

Question 3: Can pancakes make you gain weight?

Answer: If you use refined flour and high-sugar syrups to make pancakes then yes you can gain weight.

Question 4: Can I eat pancakes and still lose weight?

Answer: Yes, if you use whole wheat grain, banana and all natural ingredients. If you use this recipe to make pancakes then yes you can lose weight. Just don’t use sugar syrup.