Wednesday, October 15, 2008
experimenting with pancakes
I've been playing around with pancakes. A few weeks ago I wanted to use some apple slices in a pancake so I put some on top then sprinkled it with cinnamon and sugar and slid it under the broiler so it had a crunchy top. Last weekend I did the same thing but with a pear and just sugar. I think I'm on to something.
I made some basic pancake batter from How To Cook Everything, and added a little vanilla to the batter because I was feeling fancy. I poured a thick pancake into a small pan, put thin pear slices on top and covered it with some foil. After the bubbles had risen and the pancake had cooked to the point the top surface looked almost done. I sprinkled it with sugar and put it under the broiler. (If I had thought ahead I would have used my small cast iron pan so I could have just moved it from stove to oven.)
We had plenty of pancake batter left over so we made a cinnamon sugar pancake the same way.
This one had a satisfyingly crunchy top but I didn't think it was cinnamon-y enough.
Next I have an idea that involves gathering a few special ingredients together.
categories: food
That looks delicious! Very creative. Have you tried making a German pancake yet? You bake it in the oven in a cast-iron pan. Also excellent with fruit on top.
Comment by Kitt — October 15, 2008 @ 9:09 am
yumm! looks amazing. thanks for the tip.
Comment by shawnna — October 15, 2008 @ 9:10 am
Kitt - I've made a Dutch baby pancake, is that what you're talking about?
Comment by megan — October 15, 2008 @ 9:18 am
my mouth is watering looking at these. what kind of pear did you use?
Comment by jamie — October 15, 2008 @ 10:13 am
Oh wowsers that looks good! We've been eating more pancakes lately, and we have several pounds of apples from the orchard. Methinks we'll have to try this method...
Comment by Emily — October 15, 2008 @ 10:13 am
Jamie - I don't know for sure, we bought them at a farm stand. It had a dusty red skin.
Comment by megan — October 15, 2008 @ 10:19 am
Yum. Looks good!
Comment by Linda — October 15, 2008 @ 10:48 am
mmmm! can I come over for breakfast? = )
Comment by Dawn H — October 15, 2008 @ 10:49 am
Nice job on the pictures! and the pancakes look tasty too.
-k
Comment by kate — October 15, 2008 @ 11:38 am
I predict that one of the special ingredients you will use is bacon.
my guy has been experimenting with pancakes, too. Mostly his involve oatmeal.
that apple one looks so good. those edges!!
Comment by iron stef — October 15, 2008 @ 12:55 pm
i mean pear one. not apple. not that apple wouldn't be lovely as well.
Comment by iron stef — October 15, 2008 @ 12:56 pm
Seriously, these look fantastic. And that new camera seems to working out very well!! Lovely composure and styling by you too!
Comment by food librarian — October 15, 2008 @ 1:14 pm
Iron Stef - ding ding ding!
Food Librarian - Thanks, but as for styling I was only trying to make sure there were no dirty dishes showing up in the backgrounds :)
Comment by megan — October 15, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
Heh, that's my styling rule too. And no splatters from the stove either.
This is so pretty! It just SCREAMS happy, delicious morning. :)
Comment by Sarah — October 15, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
love, love, love that pinwheel topped pancake!
Comment by Dana McCauley — October 15, 2008 @ 4:14 pm
I am loving your photos.....
Comment by Joanna Schmidt — October 15, 2008 @ 5:41 pm
These look great - I'm going to try them this weekend!
Comment by Lecia — October 15, 2008 @ 7:02 pm
Sweet! I take it mind-blowing Halloween creations are in the works!
Comment by Jenny — October 15, 2008 @ 7:07 pm
Awesome pancakes!
Comment by Valencia — October 15, 2008 @ 7:37 pm
those look soul-crushingly delicious. making immediately. thank you!
Comment by abby! — October 15, 2008 @ 7:51 pm
mm, sounds really good. I think I'll try it with rhubarbs- that cannot fail.
Comment by Cecelia — October 16, 2008 @ 2:55 am
Yowza! Serious nummers. Visually pleasing as well. You did a great job with the presentation and the photography!
I prefer savory breakfast foods (mmmmm, garlic sausage!), so you've made me wonder what I could accomplish with a pancake base and a savory topping.
Perhaps:
-Smoked gouda cheese with ham?
-Cream cheese and caramelized onion?
-Thin-sliced teriyaki flank steak with green onion?
-Lump crabmeat in hollandaise?
-Fried eggs (2)?
-Crumbled pork sausage cooked in coconut milk and lemongrass?
Endless possibilities!
Comment by KenWritez — October 16, 2008 @ 5:32 am
Oh wow - what a fab idea for the pancakes. I've just been given a crate of apples - and I've plenty of eggs, so I'm off to experiment with this tonight. Many many yummy thanks!!!
Comment by Made by Cara — October 16, 2008 @ 5:41 am
The Dutch do this, it's quite tasty! We used to do apples and Gouda cheese, bacon, eggs, and whatever you can imagine (my family's Dutch). My favorite is rum raisin (soak raisins in rum all day and then drop them into the pancakes). Yum!
Comment by arina — October 16, 2008 @ 10:51 am
Oh my god my eyes just exploded with happiness!
Comment by Ani — October 16, 2008 @ 11:04 am
Arina - Oh, those all sound fantastic.
Comment by megan — October 16, 2008 @ 4:34 pm
Fellow Pancake Enthusiasts: May I beg your kind indulgence in bringing to your attention a new book that may be of interest, written by yours truly, entitled Pancake, just released yesterday from Reaktion Books and available on amazon and Barnes and Noble. Both pleasant and diverting, filled with historical anecdotes and pancake ephemera from around the world. Plus delightful recipes.
Yours, Ken Albala
Comment by Ken Albala — October 16, 2008 @ 4:53 pm
What gorgeous pancakes! They elevate the quick-breads you get at late-nite diners to a sophisticated level.
Comment by Kate — October 17, 2008 @ 1:58 pm
Looks lovely! Can't wait to try it-- reminds me of Swiss Ms's German Apple Pancake here: http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2008/01/german-apple-pancake.html
Comment by Allison — October 18, 2008 @ 9:04 am
I was just wondering about your experiments...
I've made Bacon Chocolate Chip cookies before, I wonder if they would work in a pancake? Bacon and Chocolate chips with maple topping in there somehow...hmmmm... I may have to experiment myself!
Comment by Allison — October 18, 2008 @ 9:06 am
Hey~
Have you ever tried a German Apple Pancake?
You should try it.
http://www.bakingandbooks.com/2007/03/31/german-apple-pancakes-with-whipped-cream-raspberries/
Comment by Letty — October 18, 2008 @ 9:01 pm
Looks delicious!
Comment by Anna Lloyd — October 19, 2008 @ 2:52 am
Those look fabulous and I agree with everyone else the dutch baby/pannekoeken comments, YUM.
Have you thought about taking an upsidedown cake approach to this? cooking sugar (butter?) and apple slices in a pan then pouring the batter over it?
Comment by nia — October 19, 2008 @ 7:32 am
Yum! I wish it wasn't midnight because I want to go make this right now.
Comment by mandy — October 21, 2008 @ 8:40 pm
Now THAT'S an idea. I shall make one of these with my bevy of pears post-haste.
Comment by Katie in Berkeley — October 21, 2008 @ 8:58 pm