• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

6. Preheat the oven to 350°F, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Loosely cover the dough with buttered pieces of plastic wrap, and let rise until almost doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Brush the dough with egg wash, avoiding the filling. Bake on the upper and lower racks, switching the positions of the sheets halfway through, until cooked through and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Carefully slide the cakes onto wire racks, and let cool completely before slicing.

MAKING PANCAKES

Even the most basic pancake recipe can be improved upon when you keep a few key components in mind. To start, you need the right ingredients. The best flour for pancakes is all-purpose; for a change of pace, substitute cornmeal, buckwheat flour, or whole-wheat flour for half the all-purpose flour. When leavening with baking powder and/or soda, mixing the batter is critical. There are two stages: whisking together the dry ingredients, and whisking the wet ingredients into the dry. Don’t whisk until smooth and even, or the gluten in the flour will develop and produce a tough texture. Instead, stop mixing while the batter is still slightly lumpy, with a few clumps of unmoistened dry ingredients remaining. It is the interaction of liquid and the pockets of dry ingredients during cooking that produces fluffy pancakes. For best results, cook the pancakes right away; do not let the batter sit longer than it takes to heat your pan.

Next, be aware of your cooking surface. The ideal surface is very flat and distributes heat evenly. The best option is a griddle, followed by a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick frying pan. Whichever surface you use, make sure it’s at the right temperature when you begin. You can test for this by flicking a few drops of water onto the surface; if they bounce, sizzle, and disappear in a second, your pan is ready.

Poor quality in the first batch is a common problem with pancakes, but it needn’t be this way. The culprit is often too much fat on the griddle. If more than a very thin layer is used, it gathers in tiny puddles beneath the batter, which in turn lifts small bits off the griddle so they never have the chance to brown properly. Instead, melt only a small amount of butter or fat, and wipe the excess away with a folded paper towel. This should ensure that your first batch is as fluffy as the last.

Now it’s time to ladle in the batter. If using fruit, place on top of the batter right after it’s poured, distributing the fruit evenly. When the batter surface is covered with little bubbles, some of which have begun to break, it’s time to flip. The bursting bubbles are letting gas escape, so flip at just this moment, before too many have popped.

whole-wheat buttermilk pancakes

SERVES 4

1 cup whole-wheat flour

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup toasted wheat germ

1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2¾ cups low-fat buttermilk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Vegetable oil cooking spray

Pure maple syrup, for serving (optional)

Raspberries, for serving (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Whisk together the flours, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Heat a griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Stir together the melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs in a medium bowl. Stir the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture until just combined (the batter will be slightly lumpy).

3. Generously coat the griddle with cooking spray. Working in batches, pour ¼ cup batter for each pancake onto the griddle. Cook until the surface is bubbling and the edges are slightly dry, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the pancakes; cook until the undersides are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet, and keep warm in the oven. Divide the pancakes among 4 plates. Serve with syrup and berries, if desired.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE PER SERVING: 396 CALORIES, 14 G FAT, 124 MG CHOLESTEROL, 53 G CARBOHYDRATE, 873