Sheet Pan Pancakes

My Sheet Pan Pancakes recipe isn't one of those silly ones you see, with a load of sugar, that's more cake than pancake! This is breakfast, people, not dessert!

Pancakes are my favorite comfort food breakfast. I can't eat pancakes without thinking of my Southern grandmother. Grandma made The Best pancakes—actually, she called them hotcakes (Is that a Southern thing?). She made them really thick and fluffy, about 4 inches in diameter, and served them with lots of butter and hot homemade syrup.

This is my basic pancake batter recipe for thick and fluffy pancakes, arrived at through trial and error over the years, but with directions for sheet pan baking rather than 12 individual round pancakes. If you want to make some really good regular, not sheet pan, pancakes instead, use the same ingredients.

If you like the super thin, but not quite as thin as Crepes, pancakes my mother liked (Is that an English thing?), then try my Swedish Pancakes. What is your ideal pancake? Do you make them yourself or go out for them? Or do you prefer Waffles?

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Sheet Pan Pancakes

(Makes 12 pancakes)

4 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 fluid ounces/296 ml) milk

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 1/4 dip-and-sweep cups (6.25 ounces/177 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon (12 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, room temperature

1 In 1-cup glass measure, melt the butter in the microwave (or melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove); set aside to cool slightly. In 2-cup glass measure, measure the milk and stir in the vinegar. 

2 In medium bowl (I use a 2-quart Pyrex glass measure), whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3 In small bowl (I use a 4-cup Pyrex glass measure), whisk together eggs, soured milk, and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Pour into dry mixture and whisk gently until just combined. Let the batter rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven.

4 Put one oven rack in the middle of the oven and one about 6 inches from the broiler at the top. Preheat the oven to 425F/220C/Gas7. Line the bottom of a 15x10x1-inch "jelly roll" sheet pan with baking parchment paper. Brush paper and sides of pan with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.

5 Scrape batter into the prepared pan and give the pan a gentle shake to spread the batter out. Bake for about 8 minutes, until the center is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6 Remove pan from the oven and turn the oven to Broil. Brush the top of the pancake with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching it closely, until lightly browned, turning pan as needed for even browning.

7 Cut into 12 squares and serve immediately (to everyone all at once!) with warm maple syrup or Homemade Blueberry Syrup/Sauce. Or store cooled squares in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Swedish Pancakes - Pannkakor

Swedish pancakes came about because a friend asked if I could pick up an order of Swedish pancakes from a local restaurant for her visiting grandchildren because it was one of their favorites. And I, of course, said "Why don't I just make some?"

So I read all about how they differed from crepes and then adjusted my carefully formulated crepes recipe accordingly. Some people use no sugar in Swedish pancakes, but others use crazy amounts of the stuff! Let me assure you the lone half tablespoon of sugar in my recipe is plenty for a sweet pancake.

Lingonberry jam is the traditional accompaniment and cannot be improved upon. The small sour berries make a delightfully tart jam that goes so well with a meal of Swedish meatballs as well as with Swedish pancakes. Some say it is raspberry jam that is "authentic."

But any berry jam will work. That and a light dusting of powdered sugar and a little whipped cream never go amiss. Wonderful for breakfast, but also great for dessert. In fact, they are the dessert following pea soup for a traditional Thursday night Swedish dinner.

And my British readers will notice straight away that Swedish pancakes themselves are the same as British pancakes! But the traditional accompaniment to British pancakes is a tiny sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of lemon. Scrummy!

Do leave a comment and tell me about your favorite pancakes—Swedish, British, American, or otherwise—because I love them all! 

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Swedish Pancakes - Pannkakor

(Makes 12 8-inch pancakes)

1 2/3 dip-and-sweep cups (8.33 ounces/236 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

2 1/4 cups (18 fluid ounces/532 ml) milk

2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 In 1-quart glass measure, vigorously whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.

2 In a bowl, whisk eggs together, then whisk in milk and melted butter.

3 To get a really smooth batter, whisk no more than half the milk mixture into the flour mixture until smooth before adding the rest. Whisk well. The batter (about 4 cups) should be about as thick as heavy cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

4 Use a 10-inch nonstick fry pan (I love this tri-ply stainless steel pan!) with flared (not straight) sides to make 8-inch pancakes. Put a tiny piece of butter in the pan and brush it around as it melts. Heat the pan over medium heat until it is thoroughly heated (droplets of water sprinkled onto the pan will sizzle and disappear immediately), about 3 minutes, depending on your pan and your stove. 

Tip: People are always saying the first pancake is just a tester. But your very first pancake will be perfect if you just have the patience to heat your pan properly. Don't waste your batter in an insufficiently heated pan. And remember to gently stir the batter before using it. Give it a stir before each pancake. Tender and seemingly delicate, the pancakes are really quite easy to handle.

5 Here it is now, The Swirl: Holding pan off heat, quickly pour into the center of the pan 1/3 cup of batter, and immediately begin swirling, tilting and rolling, the pan until the batter covers the bottom of the pan evenly. Cook until lightly browned on the bottom and looking dry on the top, particularly the edge. The time will vary, depending on your pan and your stove; 1 to 1 1/2 minutes is about right for mine. Using both hands, lift the edge with your fingers and turn it over. The second side will need less time, about half, to cook.

Tip: I use a 1/3-cup measure, from my stainless steel measuring cup set, for just the right amount of batter. And I use a mini silicone spatula to start lifting the edge, then take hold of it with the thumb and index finger of both hands and quickly flip it over. To remove the finished pancake from the pan, just tilt it over the plate you're stacking them on and let it slide out.

6 Repeat until all the batter is used. This recipe makes precisely enough batter for 12 pancakes. For immediate use, stack pancakes and keep covered. Or stack on a plate and store, wrapped, in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to 2 or 3 days; may also be frozen for up to 2 months. Allow frozen pancakes to thaw completely before unwrapping, separating, and reheating.

7 Serve with lingonberry jam or another type of berry jam, a dusting of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, or whatever you like.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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How to Make Crepes - Crepes with Peaches and Cream

Crepes is one of those words that I rarely say correctly. Though I know it is pronounced "krep," rhyming with "step," and the plural "s" is silent, I usually just say "crapes" because that's what most American ears are used to. But however you say it, they are delicious!

Does anyone remember The Magic Pan restaurant chain popular in the 80s? My friends and I simply had to stop in there every time we hit the mall. I was especially fond of their chicken divan crepes. Can't recall my favorite dessert crepes.

I recently received a bottle of Castello di Amorosa Moscato Il Raggio del Sole, and I immediately thought something peachy would pair perfectly with a 4-ounce pour of this lightly sweet dessert wine. Then I thought of crepes. It's been too long since I last made crepes, so I dug out my recipe and wondered how many "test" crepes I'd have to make before I got the hang of it again!

Turns out, none! Which only goes to show that making crepes is like riding a bicycle. Once you get the hang of it, you never lose it. The key is mastering "The Swirl," described below in the directions. I think I actually begin the swirl before all the batter is even out of the measuring cup and into the pan. 

Speaking of the pan: Maybe it's one of those anti-everything all-natural organic old hippie chick things, but I'm not crazy about (translation: I hate) nonstick pans. But ... I do have one nonstick pan in my cupboard -- an 8-inch nonstick omelette pan that I use just for omelettes and crepes.

The recipe makes 18 crepes. Even if you don't need that many right now, make the whole amount. Having a stash on hand -- for a few days in the fridge or a couple months in the freezer -- will mean you can turn out a "fancy" dessert in minutes on very short notice.

Do you like to make crepes? Sweet or savory? Tell me what fillings you like.

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Crepes

The Crepes

(Makes 18 6-inch crepes)

2/3 cup (5.33 fluid ounces/158 ml) milk
2/3 cup (5.33 fluid ounces/158 ml) water
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon sugar (omit when making savory crepes)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 dip-and-sweep cup (5 ounces/142 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

The Fresh Fruit Filling

Thinly sliced perfectly ripe yellow peaches or other soft fruit
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sugar

The Garnish

Powdered sugar
Whipped cream

1 Put crepe ingredients in order listed into the blender. Blend on medium to high speed, depending on how powerful your blender is, for 10 to 20 seconds. Scrape sides, and blend another 3 seconds. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. If batter has thickened, it may be thinned with a bit of milk or water (a teaspoon at a time) just before using. The batter (about 2 1/4 cups) should be about as thick as heavy cream.

Tip: Or use an immersion blender in a 1-quart glass measuring cup, as I prefer; pulse until batter is smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice, about 20 seconds total.

2 Crepes can be made any size, but I use an 8-inch nonstick omelette pan or 8-inch nonstick fry pan to make 6-inch dessert crepes. Heat pan over medium-low to medium heat until thoroughly heated (droplets of water sprinkled onto the pan will sizzle and disappear immediately), about 2 minutes. Brush lightly with just a little melted or softened butter (I use the OXO Good Grips Silicone Pastry Brush). 

Here it is now, The  Swirl: Holding pan off heat, quickly pour into the center of the pan 1/8 cup of batter, and immediately begin swirling, tilting and rolling, the pan until the batter covers the bottom of the pan evenly. Cook for about 30 to 60 seconds, or until browned on the bottom and looking dry on the top, especially the edge. Using both hands, lift the edge with your fingers and turn it over. The second side will need less time to cook.

Tip: I use a 1/8-cup from my stainless steel measuring cup set. It is exactly the right amount to make crepes that are just a bit over 6 inches in diameter. And I use the GIR silicone mini spatula to start lifting the edge, then take hold of it with the thumb and index finger of both hands and quickly flip it over.

3 Repeat until all the batter is used. This recipe makes precisely enough batter for 18 crepes, but you will need to scrape the bowl to get that last 1/8 cup. Stack on a plate and store, wrapped, in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to 2 or 3 days; may also be frozen for up to 2 months. Let refrigerated crepes stand at room temperature for about an hour before proceeding. Allow frozen crepes to thaw completely before unwrapping and separating.

4 Prepare a dessert filling; in this case, fresh peach filling. You need only about 3 or 4 tablespoons of filling per crepe, and there are 2 crepes per serving. So do the math. If you are making dessert for two (that's 4 crepes), thinly slice enough peaches to make 1 cup or so. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and sugar to taste; let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes to macerate.

You can even cook the macerated filling for 4 or 5 minutes if you prefer your peaches cooked. It's definitely the way to go when your peaches are less than stellar.

5 To assemble: Lay down a crepe, pretty side down (that's the first side cooked), spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of fruit onto one half. Fold over other half to cover. Fold in half again to form a wedge (that's the "Crepes Suzette fold"). Place 2 crepes on each dessert plate. Dust with powdered sugar and add a spoon or two of whipped cream.

Disclosure: Some posts contain links to my affiliate account at Amazon. If you purchase something from Amazon through one of my links, I receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use toward the expenses of running this blog. Thanks for supporting Delightful Repast when you shop at Amazon!

Jean

Belgian Waffles - Perfect Comfort Food Breakfast

Belgian waffles might be the perfect comfort food breakfast, but we've been known to make Belgian waffles for dinner! And I don't mean a savory version, I mean the breakfast version with just butter and syrup. Years ago we had a stovetop Belgian waffle maker that we wore completely out. When we recently decided to replace it, we researched all the electric ones and decided on the Cuisinart WAF-100. (Update 2014: That model has been replaced by the Cuisinart WAF-300 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker.)

Besides all the other good things about it (see Equipment Review - Cuisinart WAF-100 Belgian Waffle Maker), it takes 2 cups of batter. So the recipe I had developed for regular waffles, and which works just as well for Belgian waffles, will make two of these. Exactly. No leftover batter. That's important to me. I hate waste. And the leftovers are great! I mean it. Great. I put the two leftover squares in the refrigerator and heated them in the toaster the next day, and they were as good as new! So I stirred up another batch specifically for freezing. Just thaw the desired number of squares in the refrigerator overnight (or in the microwave in the morning), pop them in the toaster, and there you go! No need to ever eat a store-bought frozen waffle again. Ever.

This is my basic recipe. Sometimes I use different whole grain flours or throw in some very finely chopped pecans, but I always use this formula. We like to think the three eggs transform it into a seriously nutritious, high-protein breakfast. Tell me: How do you like your waffles? And do you prefer Belgian or regular? People tend to feel very strongly about that!

 

Update 06/29/17: Just posted my Homemade Blueberry Syrup or Sauce.

Buttermilk Belgian Waffles

(Makes two Cuisinart WAF-100 Belgian waffles or six 7-inch round regular waffles)

1 3/4 packed cups (8.75 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, room temperature, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk, room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons organic canola oil

1 In 2-quart glass measure, whisk together dry ingredients. In a 1-quart glass measure, whisk together the eggs, milk, butter and oil. Pour into dry mixture and combine. Let batter rest 5 minutes before using. Spray both upper and lower grids with cooking spray, or apply a little canola oil with a paper towel or pastry brush. Preheat waffle iron.

2 Ladle 2 cups batter onto center of waffle iron (or 1/2 cup onto each of the squares); spread batter evenly over the grid. Close the lid and bake until the green light comes on and the audible tone sounds, about 5 to 6 minutes. When the tone sounds (another signal is that the steam stops), open lid and remove the waffle. Close lid and wait a minute or two for iron to reheat. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with cold unsalted butter and warm real maple syrup or whatever you like.

Pancakes - Perfect Pancakes, Hotcakes, Whatever You Call Them

Pancakes are my favorite comfort food breakfast. I can't eat pancakes without thinking of my Southern grandmother. Grandma made The Best pancakes--actually, she called them hotcakes (Is that a Southern thing?). 

She made them really thick and fluffy, about 4 inches in diameter. I've never had much success making thick ones, though it's probably just a matter of more baking powder along with less milk. She served them with lots of butter and hot homemade syrup.

This is my basic pancake recipe, arrived at through trial and error over the years. Sometimes I use different whole grain flours, but I always use this formula. And, if I have some buttermilk, sour cream or plain yogurt languishing around, ready to go off, I might use 1/2 cup of that in place of 1/2 cup of the milk. 

The pancakes aren't the super thin ones my mother liked (Is that an English thing?), but they're not as thick as Grandma's. What is your ideal pancake? Do you make them yourself or go out for them?

Update 06/29/17: Just posted my Homemade Blueberry Syrup or Sauce.

Pancakes

(Makes twelve 5-inch round pancakes)

1 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (7.5 ounces/213 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces/355 ml) milk,* room temperature

3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/43 grams) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

* I usually do the "buttermilk substitute" thing: Put 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar in a 2-cup glass measure and add enough milk to make 1 1/2 cups. But they're good with just plain milk, too.

1 Since I don't currently have one of those large, rectangular electric griddles, in order to serve everyone at the same time I must preheat oven to 200 degrees (actually, I now have a warming drawer) and, as each batch is cooked, place the pancakes slightly overlapping on an ovenproof platter, cover loosely with foil and keep in the oven.

2 Lightly oil the griddle (I currently have a round one but plan to get a square one again, the All-Clad LTD 11-Inch Square Nonstick Griddle) and heat over medium heat. Preheating the griddle properly is the key to good pancakes; it takes about 5 minutes.

3 In medium bowl (I use a 2-quart Pyrex glass measure), whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

4 In small bowl (I use a 4-cup Pyrex glass measure), whisk together eggs, milk and melted butter. Pour into dry mixture and whisk gently until just combined.

OR just make a well in the center of your thoroughly whisked dry ingredients and pour your individual wet ingredients into it; whisk them together in the well and work out from there, combining wet and dry; do not overmix.

5 Using a 1/4-cup ladle or measuring cup, ladle batter onto hot griddle (preheated for 5 minutes over medium heat, drops of water should dance and disappear quickly). Cook about 1½ to 2 minutes on each side. Don't rush it (like I often do!); wait for the bubbles to appear and break. 

6 Serve with butter and real maple syrup that has been warmed. Or with fruit and/or fruit syrup.

Jean