If you’re as much of a pancake nut as I am, you’ve probably searched for the perfect recipe for pancakes. I can tell you, so have I! I tried so many times but somehow they never got fluffy with me. Taste they did, but they just didn’t have that lightness you want to see in perfect pancakes.
The recipe that changed everything
Fortunately, my mother-in-law had a delicious recipe on the shelf. She taught me how to make fluffy pancakes or mini pancakes every time. I would now like to share this recipe with you. With this recipe you will make those delicious pancakes or mini pancakes again and again!
The basics
A good start is half the battle. There are some basic rules that you must first be aware of to ensure that you make those fluffy pancakes or poffertjes. If you have not mastered these things then those pancakes will not be fluffy either.
First, always mix the ingredients in separate bowls
First you mix all the ingredients in a separate bowl. Once you have done that then you pour the wet ingredients with the dry ones. It is important that you make sure all ingredients are well and evenly distributed and avoid over mixing at all costs.
Using fresh baking powder
By this we mean that if baking powder has lain open in the cupboard for more than 6 months to a year you should no longer use it. It will then not do justice to the effectiveness of your recipes. If you want your pancakes to rise properly, and that is precisely what is so important for fluffy pancakes or poffertjes right now, then only 6-month baking powder can live up to its full potential. What is out of the question: using expired baking powder. It probably won’t hurt, but then you might as well use water, because the baking powder will have long since lost its function.
Do not over-mix
What I mean by this, and cannot emphasize enough by the way, is that you can very but very easily ruin the pancakes or poffertjes simply by mixing just a little too long. The batter will become doughy, the pancakes or poffertjes will not be even. Handy tip: use a whisk and then mix by hand so that all the ingredients are well mixed together. Chunks are basically not that bad.
The secret
Then the ultimate secret to those delicious pancakes. It’s all about the eggs! The most important thing to remember for getting fluffy pancakes is to separate the egg yolks from the whites. As always, put the yolks in the bowl with the wet ingredients. In another bowl, beat the egg whites for around 3 minutes on medium speed. The egg whites will turn into a thick, white, frothy substance.
Add this mixture of egg whites as the last step while preparing your batter. This means that when the dry ingredients are mixed, the frothy egg white should be splashed into the batter with utensils.
Then some tips for separating the yolk from the egg white:
- Break the egg in half with a knife. Hit it with the sharp end, this usually ensures a good break.
- Hold the two halves side by side over a bowl and shake the yolk back and forth. Eventually, the yolk will separate from the egg white.
- Some egg whites may drip down. So make sure they drip directly into the bowl.
The recipe
Then the thing that it’s all about, of course. That recipe for those deliciously perfect fluffy pancakes or poffertjes. You’ll need:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 teaspoons baking powder
- 1.5 cups of milk
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
Preparation
- If, like me, you are using an electric griddle, preheat it to 160 degrees. If you are using a skillet, just preheat it and grease the pan.
- In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients. So the flour, sugar and baking powder. Mix these together. Not too long!
- Add the wet ingredients in another bowl, the milk, oil and vanilla. Don’t add the eggs yet!
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put them in a bowl with the wet ingredients. Put the egg whites in a separate bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients until well blended. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones. Use a whisk and mix by hand until everything is completely well mixed.
- Beat the egg whites around 3 minutes with a hand mixer until you get a thick and frothy substance.
- Add the egg white mixture to the pancake batter and gently spat it through with a wooden utensil. When all the white streaks in the batter have disappeared you can stop.
- Using a quarter cup, pour the batter onto the griddle or skillet and spread the batter evenly, depending on whether you are making pancakes or poffertjes.
- Let this bake for 3 minutes
- Flip the batter with a spatula and cook for another 3 minutes
- Remove the pan from the heat and enjoy!