"A fluffy stack of pancakes, dripping with maple syrup and topped with a square pat of butter, is an icon of culinary Americana. Almost every culture has its own version, and eating pancakes dates back tens of thousands of years to prehistory, when humans mixed patties prepared from plants or rudimentary flour and cooked them on hot rocks. Pancakes (whether proto or modern) are elemental and universally loved."
"Most recipes with leaveners such as baking soda and/or baking powder call for resting the batter for 5 to 15 minutes after its mixed. (Don't overmix, or it will form too much gluten and result in tougher pancakes.) The resting - even if it's just while the pan heats up on the stove - helps create bubbles. Starches in the flour absorb the batter's liquid and swell up, and the leavener activates, forming bubbles."
Pancakes are an elemental, universally loved food with prehistoric roots, made in many cultural variations. L.A. favorites include cornmeal mochi pancakes, crispy-edged blueberry-soaking cakes, a single yeasted cake, and massive stacks with whipped cream. Making pancakes at home is easy and often a beginner's recipe. Light, fluffy texture depends on bubbles formed by leaveners and starches. Most recipes with baking soda or baking powder call for resting batter five to fifteen minutes after mixing. Resting allows starches to absorb liquid and leaveners to activate. Avoid overmixing to prevent excess gluten and toughness. During cooking, gas-driven bubbles rise and break on the pancake surface.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]