Pancakes with Strawberries & Bananas

February 10, 2013

A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Pancakes are one of most popular breakfast items in the United States and in some other countries around the world. We especially enjoy having pancakes with maple syrup, and coffee. Sometimes we tend to eat them as snacks.

Here are some interesting Facts about pancakes:

Pancakes have traditionally been eaten on shrove Tuesday, this use to be way back in days, around 1000 years ago.

Pancakes can be found in many cultures around the world, although they might not use the same ingredients as pancakes, they are generally similar in taste and texture.

Maple syrup, which goes great with pancakes, is actually a tree sap, that comes from the maple tree, which is found mostly in the Canadian region.

The French often make a wish while turning the pancake during the cooking process, while holding a coin in the other hand.

The first recipe for pancakes was listed in the 15th century, in a English cookbook.

The world’s largest pancake was cooked in Roch-dale Manchester in the year 1994, which was around 15 meters in diameter, weighed 3 tons, and had a whopping two million calories.

Pancake tossing can be considered a funny sport, one such person ran a marathon while continuously tossing a pancake for three hours.

William Shakespeare loved pancakes so much, that he mentioned them in his plays.

A fairly new trend that has emerged just recently are pancakes sandwiches.

Long time ago, before baking soda was invented, cooks often used freshly fallen snow, as a secret ingredient which contained ammonia, that made pancakes come out nice and soft.

Pancakes are often made on griddle, that is because griddle cooking is quite older than baking.

If you use baking soda along with butter milk as an ingredient for pancakes, the baking soda, will remove the acidic properties that often come with butter milk, thus a better tasting pancake.

In Europe pancakes are often eaten on easter day, as a they have a quite a significance related to easter.

Pancakes when in their original state are pour-able batter type which are made of milk, flour, butter, and eggs. Unlike breads, which tend to be semi solid.

IMG 8366 950x633 Pancakes with Strawberries & Bananas

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)2 tablespoons sugar2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup milk2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil1 large egg1 tsp vanilla essence1 tablespoon vegetable oil1 cup sliced bananas and strawberries1 cup maple syrup

You can also add other assorted toppings, such as butter, confectioners’ sugar, honey, jams, preserves, sweetened whipped cream, or chocolate syrup

Method

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter (or oil), and egg.

Add dry ingredients to milk mixture; whisk until just moistened (do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine).

Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium. Add ½ tsp of butter.

For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round (you should be able to fit 2 to 3 in a large skillet).

Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven. Continue with more oil and remaining batter. (You’ll have 12 to 15 pancakes.)