Pancakes and Waffles

A pancake is just a cooked circle of leavened batter, but can be varied
in many ways. The batter can be based on different types of flour.
Buckwheat and all purpose flour are the most widely used.

The liquid can be water, milk, cream or even fruit juice. To add more texture and richness, sometimes
butter and eggs are also added. Most pancake batters are leavened by yeast, sourdough starter or
baking powder. You can also use only eggs to lighten the batter. You can make the pancakes fluffy and
full or relatively thin based on the blend between liquid and flour. Which ever you prefer, the dry
ingredients and the liquid should be mixed separately then combined together. If you are using melted
butter, it should be cooled before adding it to the mixture and the other ingredients should be at room
temperature otherwise the butter will congeal.

When mixing the ingredients, make sure not to over-stir. This will increase the gluten in the flour and
make the pancakes tougher. To make sure that the pancakes are not tough, after mixing, let the batter
stand for about 10 minutes. The batter should be cooked in a heavy griddle or pan using a vegetable
spray, butter or grease to avoid sticking. Preheat the griddle hot enough to set the batter but not hot
enough to burn the pancakes. Using a large spoon or ladle, dip into the batter and pour batter into the
greased griddle to form a circular disk. The size of the pancake depends on the amount of batter you
pour into the griddle. When several bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake and the edges start to
brown, flip the pancake until the bottom is lightly brown. Serve immediately to avoid drying and garnish
with one of the many varieties of syrup or fruit topping.

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A Perfect Waffle

The same batters that produce soft pancakes yield crisp waffles. The different effect is achieved by
sandwiching the batter between the hinged, checkered grids of a waffle iron to bake. Most waffle irons
used today are electrically heated, however some specialty shops sell old- fashioned irons that are used
over direct heat. Either type must be handled in a way that keeps the batter from sticking. The grids of old
fashioned irons and some modern ones are made of cast iron. These must be seasoned before use.
(Electric irons with coated, nonstick grids do not require seasoning.) Preheat all grids until they are hot
enough to set the batter instantly. As soon as the iron is hot, brush it lightly with melted butter. In both
examples, the batter is flavored- in one case with molasses, and spices, in order with apricot puree. The
handling of eggs follows pancake-batter practice. Eggs whites are beaten separately before they are
added. However, because waffle batter is fully enclosed during baking and cannot rise much, many cooks
whisk in eggs whole.

How much batter you use for each waffle depends on the texture you want: A thin layer produces crisp
results; a thicker layer makes a softer waffle. Texture also is determined by cooking time. If cooked just
until steam ceases to issue from the iron, the waffle will be tender and light colored. Longer cooking
makes the waffle darker and crisper.

Like pancakes, waffles are fine vehicles for garnishes. Attractive toppings for savory waffles include
cheese sauce or creamed chipped beef of chicken. Sugars, syrups, jams fruits and ice cream all are
excellent garnishes for sweet waffles.