Pancakes

by request of the ex-teenager

The trickiest part is getting the temperature right on the griddle. Then it's just a matter of paying attention; don't be distracted by things like making coffee or setting the table—do that before or after cooking.

Start the griddle preheating. Don't turn the stove up too high! At our house, putting the big burner at about 40% will work if you get started right away.

Separate

• 2 eggs

Start whipping the egg whites in your KitchenAid® or other mixer; you want soft peaks but if you overdo it, not to worry. If you're watching your cholesterol, discard one of the egg yolks (the pancakes will still taste fine).

If you can place your sifter safely above the egg yolk(s), do so; otherwise sift into a separate bowl:

• 1+1/3 C flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs or more sugar

If you used a metallic measuring cup for the flour, now would be a great time to melt

• 2-3 Tbs butter or margarine

in the cup on your griddle.

Combine the dry ingredients, egg yolk(s), and

• 1+1/3 C milk (dairy or soy)

and mix until more or less uniform.

Stir in the melted butter.

Check the egg whites -- whatever state they're in at this point, they're probably done. Add them to the rest of your ingredients. You don't have to fold them in real carefully like you were making some kind of French cake or something; just mix them in.

The griddle is almost certainly at the right temperature; a drop of water should dance on the surface. Place about ¼C of batter, maybe a little more, onto the griddle at a time; turn once, when bubbles break and stay broken. (If you're not sure, lift a pancake edge and check the color; be aware that the heat under your griddle may not be uniform.)

Adjustments

When it's just the two of us at home, I used ½C flour (and an equal amount of milk), just 1 egg, and slightly lesser amounts of everything else. The main thing is the consistency -- keep flour and milk roughly equal and use about 1 tsp of baking powder for ½C of flour, 2 tsp for 1–1½C flour, and adjust the sugar, salt, butter as you feel like. For 1C or more of flour I'd use two eggs.