Buttermilk Pancakes

Buttermilk pancakes hot off the griddle with a pat of sweet butter and a generous drizzle of pure maple syrup are one of life's delicious pleasures.  My fluffy pancakes are enhanced with malted milk powder and a bit of vanilla sugar which sets them apart from most standard recipes.  The batter is so easy to make because there is no need to bring any of the ingredients to room temperature or have the batter sit around for a few hours.  The eggs and buttermilk can be added cold and the pancakes can be dropped onto a hot griddle in a matter of minutes.

Such a treat to have on the weekends when everyone is puttering around the house or waking up late, buttermilk pancakes will certainly help everyone start their day off on a good note.  Bring a platter of my pancakes along with some eggs and bacon if you're in the mood for savory extras and have plenty of maple syrup on hand.  All you need now to complete this enticing breakfast is some freshly squeezed orange juice or a cold glass of milk and some of your favorite coffee.  Everyone is going to love these pancakes!  

Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups {370 ml.} buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons {30 grams} unsalted butter, melted & cooled
• 1 1/2 cups  {200 grams} all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup {25 grams} plain malted milk powder (such as Ovaltine)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar (or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)

Yield: One dozen 5" pancakes.

In a liquid measuring cup, measure the buttermilk and add the eggs; whisk to combine.  Add the melted, cooled butter and mix well (if you're using extract instead of vanilla sugar, add it to the wet ingredients now).  In a medium-sized bowl, add the all-purpose flour, sugar, salt & malted milk powder.  With a fine mesh strainer, sift the baking soda & baking powder to remove any lumps in the leaveners; whisk the dry ingredients to combine thoroughly.

 With a wooden spoon, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.

Begin stirring the batter until it's mixed.  The batter should be lumpy and you should not try to smooth it out.  The photo above shows you exactly what good pancake batter should look like. 

Heat a griddle, cast iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat until it is quite hot.  If you drop a few sprinkles of water onto the surface and the droplets bounce wildly, the griddle is ready. 

Add about 1/2 teaspoon of softened butter or vegetable oil to the griddle with a small basting brush and grease the surface.  Wipe off any excess with a paper towel. 

Using a 1/4 cup measuring scoop, drop the batter onto the griddle to form each pancake.  If your griddle is large you may be able to fit several at a time.  I always use a small spatula to scrape out the batter from the measuring cup.

Using the same small spatula, spread the batter gently around the edges to make round pancakes.

After about 2 minutes of cooking, you will begin to notice bubbles forming and popping onto the surface of the hotcakes.  This indicates that they're ready to flip over.  Another clue will be edges that seem to be drying out. 

Using a wide, thin spatula, begin to release the pancake from the surface and take a quick peek underneath.  Is the pancake golden?  If so, gently flip the pancake over, but do it quickly & decisively.

Golden perfection.  Don't be alarmed if your first few pancakes aren't quite golden or smooth, because the first 1 or 2 are bound to be that way.  They will still be delicious. 

Let the pancakes cook for about 1 more minute on the flip side.  Continue cooking the rest of the batter in the same way & grease the griddle lightly if it seems dried out or as needed.  I keep a platter nearby to stack my pancakes as they finish cooking and set them into a warm 200° F (93° C) until they're all done and everyone is seated at the table.

Depending on how hungry your loved ones are, I generally find 2-3 pancakes a good serving.  For those that want it, a pat of butter on top of each individual stack is always nice.  Everyone can pour their maple syrup to taste. 



Upon slicing the first wedge, you will notice how tender and fragrant these pancakes are.  The insides are perfectly cooked and after the first bite, you will be smiling.

Buttermilk Pancakes are a good thing for breakfast.

Please feel free to tailor the pancakes to suit your tastes.  A few blueberries, raspberries or strawberries can be added onto the hotcakes as they cook on the griddle for a burst of summertime flavor.  Additional berries can be served alongside.  Perhaps your family loves chocolate chip pancakes and would like to have them shaped in special molds.  In this case my advice to you would be to add the best chocolate chips available from your supermarket; mini ones are really good.  I've been known to eat my pancakes with local honey from time to time, so if you would like to have them this way, by all means do.  I hope you enjoy making and devouring my buttermilk pancakes for breakfast very soon and please, let me know what you think.  Bon Appetit!