How to make perfect pancakes? Chef’s secrets and step-by-step recipe

There are a few simple rules, following which you will get perfect pancakes (or almost), because this is a subjective parameter. But the most important thing is that you like them both from the aesthetic point of view and from the taste point of view. Perhaps the latter is the most important criterion.

For your convenience, my recommendations are spelled out in a step-by-step recipe. Shall we?

Ingredients:

• milk – 670 ml;
• sugar – 35 g;
• chicken egg – 3 pcs;
• butter – 20 g;
• dough leavener – 2 g;
• flour – 200 g;
• salt – 4 g;
• vegetable oil – 105 ml.

Step 1.

Milk is heated to 40 degrees, then add sugar, salt, eggs, flour and dough leavening agent. Mix thoroughly until homogeneous and strain through a sieve.

Tip: the dough should be allowed to stand for 30-60 minutes to allow all the necessary chemical processes to take place. Even if you do not add yeast, the flour with leavening agent needs time to start “working”.

Step 2.

Add butter to the infused dough. Add 40 ml of vegetable oil and mix again.

팁: melt the butter and pour it into the dough in a thin stream, stirring vigorously with a whisk. This will allow as many small butter particles as possible to form, which will make the pancakes golden and spongy.

Step 3.

Pouring vegetable oil into the skillet from a bottle is impractical, so you’ll probably use a silicone brush to grease your cookware. But if you don’t have one, there is a great solution.

팁: take a small size raw potato, wash it thoroughly, cut off half of it, put it on a fork so that the cut is on the other side. Pour vegetable oil into a cup or saucer, dip the forked potatoes in it and grease the pan.

Step 4.

Fry the pancakes on both sides.

Tip: the skillet should be well heated and only then oiled, heat for another five seconds and pour the batter.

In one movement spread the batter over the entire area of the frying pan. Bake the pancakes on medium-high heat. Baking on low heat will make the pancakes dry and brittle.

What to serve pancakes with? Here are two recipes.

Pancakes with beef stroganoff for one serving

Ingredients:

• pancakes – 2 pcs;
• beef (preferably tenderloin) – 100 g;
• onions – 20 g;
• brandy – 10 ml;
• cream 33% – 100 ml;
• salt, pepper to taste;
• parsley – 2 sprigs;
• vegetable oil – 30 ml.

Step 1.

Cut beef into 0,5 cm cubes or 2×0,5 cm bars. Cut onions into crumbs, mix with meat and add salt and pepper.

Step 2.

Tear off the parsley leaves and cut them into straws. Drop the stems into boiling water for 30 seconds to make them soft as rope.

Step 3.

Add vegetable oil to the heated skillet and let it warm up well. Next, place the meat and fry over medium-high heat until half-cooked.

Pour in the brandy, stir and reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour in the cream, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn, and season to taste with salt and pepper. At the end, add the parsley.

Step 4.

Place the prepared filling in the middle of the pancakes. Gather each pancake into a pouch and tie with a parsley stalk.

Pancake rolls with lightly salted fish

Ingredients:

• pancakes – 2 pcs;
• cream-cheese – 50 g;
• cream or milk – 20 ml;
• lightly salted fish – 100 g;
• orange – 1 pc;
• dill – 1 sprig.

Step 1.

Mix cream-cheese with cream or milk until homogeneous. Remove orange zest with a fine grater and add to the cream-cheese. Transfer to a pastry bag or parchment envelope.

Step 2.

Dice the lightly salted fish.

Step 3.

Spread the mixture snakily over the entire surface of the pancake, sprinkle fish on top and roll the pancakes into a tube.

Step 4.

Cut pancakes with stuffing in equal parts and place on a plate. Divide dill into small florets and decorate the rolls.