Buttermilk adds lightness, savory flavor to pancakes

By Lynda Rego
Posted 3/14/16

I can’t remember why, but at a recent book club meeting, the subject of buttermilk came up. I always keep some in the refrigerator. “Why?” To make pancakes, of course.

Another …

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Buttermilk adds lightness, savory flavor to pancakes

Posted

I can’t remember why, but at a recent book club meeting, the subject of buttermilk came up. I always keep some in the refrigerator. “Why?” To make pancakes, of course.

Another member sighed and suggested an all-pancake menu at a club meeting. I’m in favor of that. Growing up, my mother would make pancakes for dinner occasionally. It was a treat my brother, sister and I looked forward to.

I have a half dozen pancake recipes that are favorites in our house. I’ve shared with you my blueberry cornmeal pancake recipe. (If you missed it, go to eastbayri.com and click on Search. Type “blueberry pancakes” in the search field and then my name into the byline box). It’s the buttermilk that makes them so light and tender. Ditto for the IHOP pancake recipe that’s been floating around for years.

You can make pancakes with powdered buttermilk, which I do in a pinch, but real buttermilk (I use low-fat, NOT fat-free) makes the pancakes so much better.

Another way to make them light and fluffy is to fold beaten egg whites into the batter. If you have a recipe like that, don’t overbeat them; you don’t want the egg whites really dry, just glossy.

These Cloudcakes from “Cook’s Country” are big and fluffy as you can see from the picture.

And, we only use real maple syrup on our pancakes. The fake stuff is just too sweet.

Cloudcakes
from “Cook’s Country”
Makes 18
Low-fat buttermilk works best; if using fat-free buttermilk, reduce the amount to 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons.
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, separated, plus 2 extra egg whites, at room temp
n 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Stir buttermilk and sour cream together in medium bowl until combined. Add egg yolks and butter to buttermilk mixture, and stir well to combine.
With electric mixer, beat all 4 egg whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Pour buttermilk mixture over dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. (Batter should be lumpy, with visible streaks of flour.) Using spatula, carefully fold whites into batter until just combined. Do not overmix — a few streaks of whites should be visible.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat (300-325°) for 5 minutes. Using 1/4-cup measure (not heaping), spoon batter into pan. Cook until bottoms are evenly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until golden brown on second side, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Cook remaining batter, using more vegetable oil as needed to grease pan.
They can be kept warm on a cooling rack coated with cooking spray and placed over a sheet pan in a 200° oven for up to 20 minutes, while you cook the rest.
Visit Lynda Rego on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lynda.rego where she shares tips on cooking, books, gardening, genealogy and other topics. Click on Like and share ideas for upcoming stories.

food, pancakes, buttermilk

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