Pancake Day 2006

So who will be having pancakes today?

Last year I tried to impress my wife with my culinary skills (not usually a problem I have to say) but the pancakes just would not become pancakes.
I don't normally need a recipe for things like pancakes or yorkshire puds (I'm from Yorkshire, and we don't need recipes but after the pancakes remaind a gluey consistency, and would not cook properly I gave in and got a recipe, but that didn't seem to help.

So where was my problem? I wanted to make thicker pancakes than normal, but even after thinning down the mix the pancakes still wouldn't hold together.
This year I wan't to avoid embarrasment in the kitchen and turn out some decent pancakes to go with some golden syrup (That I have to try and get hold of today).

Any ideas, wrong flour, not enough egg?

Hi
If you try bbc.co.uk/food they will have pancake recipes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/news_and_events/...ancakeday.shtml

It's diffcult to know what you are doing wrong when you haven't told us your method you muppet! Thinning down the mixture will not make thicker pancakes :doh:

I usually start with some flour, bung in a couple of eggs and blend, then slowly add milk until the desired consistency. If you like thick pancakes then your batter needs to be fairly thick, although not too thick or it won't spread, usually test mine with a ladle - if it pours off slowly, then it's ok, if stays in ladle it needs more milk! Make sure your pan is nice and hot as well, lift of heat, put mix in centre, and tip pan until batter covers surface then place back on heat.

Completely forgot it was Pancake day - thanks for the reminder.
I will be using Delia's (foolproof - I need it) method, mmmmmmm
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/basic-p...mon,803,RC.html

I figured the mix was too thick, hence I thinned it down to try and get the normal pancake mix I usually have. This is not the first time I have made pancakes, so am not completely useless at it.
As to my method, I did it just as you have written. Thats why I was puzzeled to what went wrong.

didn't say you were useless

probably not enough flour to begin with then, flour is what binds the mixture

and a quick tip, when washing up after always soak the bowl in cold water first (same applies for sauces that have a roux base) makes it a lot easier to clean.

Thanks for the reminder! As I can't cook at all I will just buy a pack of Crepes/pancakes from the shop or a box of easy to make American Aunt Jemima Hot cakes mix.

Aren't English pancakes closer to German Eierkuchen than to American Hot Cakes?

Probably wrong flour - Germany's flour is a big problem for Brits.
Our local baker insists on explaining it all to me but when I tell him we have (mostly) only self-raising or plain he looks at me aghast. My problem is - if they have such a diversity of flours why can't they make a decent croissant ?

I am having a pancake party tonight!!

I have made them every year with this recipe and never had a problem

You can just use a bit of butter or oil instead of low fat cooking spray!

125 g flour, sifted
1 medium egg(s)
1/2 pint skimmed milk
1 spray low-fat cooking spray

Instructions

Put the flour into a bowl and break the egg into the centre.

Add the milk gradually beating into a batter.

Pour the batter into a jug.

Heat a non-stick frying pan.

Spray lightly with low-fat cooking spray.

Pour in 3 tbsp batter and quickly swirl the pan to coat the base.

Cook until the batter becomes firm and bubbles appear.

Flip the pancake over

I take it you don't have syrup on yours then

Whatever happened to having pancakes with sugar and lemon out of one of those plastic squeezy things?

luv em loops !!!
sugar and lemon !!!

That is what I am having tonight sugar and lemon!

"Don't forget the pancakes on Jif Lemon day" (You can get plastic lemons from Aldi here!)

Those plastic lemons bring back memories! My mother always had one in the kitchen - lemons were considered to be exotic fruits back then!

no 1. tip. make sure the pan is b***ard hot, there should be smoke coming off it, then anything you put in the pan will cook and hold together

Delia

( apologies to far-lands or anyone else with dubious parentage ) ; )

Made them at school today with the kids - having a bit of British nostalgia today. Problem was they wouldn't cook properly and I decided that the pan was too heavy and thick. Should have taken my own old trusty pan in.

It's OK JD, better dubious than your unknown !!

Update: Thanks for all suggestions, I managed this year to produce some fine pancakes, though I changed nothing in the way I made them, just used some flour, threw in an egg, bit of salt, and added some milk. I can only think it was down to the flour I used last year, this year was a much happier event (Last year I thought I was loosing my marbles when I found out I couldn't make them, wasn't a pretty sight in the kitchen)

It may also be down to the new gas cooker we have as opposed to an old electric one.

could be a factor - much more heat control, I hate cooking on an electric hob.

me too, thats why we bought gas this time. Love the sound it makes too, bit nostalgic I find.

Is it just my perception, or is electric more popular than gas over here?

very difficult to get a gas cooker here in germany.
Most people cook electric.

It's not difficult at all, drive to ikea, buy cooker!

It is less common, as not everyone has a gas connection in the kitchen. (probably due to paranoia that all gas appliances are evil and just waiting to blow your house up).

They don't appear to add a stenching agent to the gas here either, which makes things a bit more dangerous.

Gas ovens have been somewhat unpopular since around 1945.

But back on topic. Has anyone tried making pancakes with black flour? I've never seen it here in Germany - I got some in France (fleur de blé noir). You just use the flour, water and a bit of salt. No milk, sugar or anything else.

:doh: Was trying to avoid that one!


Never heard of that myself, but after a quick google it appears you need buchweizen, which I have heard of here, so perhaps your local Reform house might be able to reform you?

Latni name = Fagopyrum esculentum (Buchweizen, buckwheat (engl.), sarrasin (franz.), alforfón (span.))

Don't know about it being called "black" flour, but I make the Dutch poffertjies (sort of mini puffed pancakes) with a 1/2 buckwheat flour & half plain flour mixture. Very yummy with butter & icing sugar

Just made a batch of pancakes and they all turned out well apart from one (which is a miracle for me). That one didn't turn out well because the hob/crepe pan wasn't hot enough.

But late now Bombi eh ??

Better late than never!