Pancake

For other uses, see Pancake (disambiguation).

Two pancakes with maple syrup.

Pancakes are food preparations of which there are variations in many different local cuisines. Most pancakes are quick breads, although some are also made using a yeast-raised or fermented batter.

Regional varieties

American or Canadian pancakes contain a raising agent, usually baking powder, and contains different proportions of eggs, flour and milk, which create a thick batter. If desired, one could add cinnamon and sugar, giving the pancake additional flavour. This batter is either spooned or poured (1/4 measuring cups are good for pancakes) onto a hot surface, and spread to form a circle about ¼ or ⅓ inch (1 cm) thick. The raising agent causes bubbles to rise to the uncooked side of the pancake, at which point the pancake is ready to be flipped. The resulting pancake is very light in texture and is often served at breakfast topped with maple syrup, butter, peanut butter or fruit. Vermont pancakes usually have a secondary grain added to the wheat flour, either oatmeal or buckwheat flour. Both of these recipes require more baking powder to leaven. The texture is coarser and the flavor deeper, suggesting toasted nuts and cheese.

North American (Canada and the United States) style pancakes with banana slices.

In the U.S., pancakes can also be referred to as hotcakes, griddlecakes, or flapjacks. A typical portion served in restaurants is three to four pancakes of approximately 14 cm (5 inch) in diameter. A smaller number may be ordered by requesting a "short stack." Diners in the U.S. usually serve one or two pancakes of approximately 25 cm (10 inches) in diameter. A "silver dollar" pancake refers to a pancake about 7 cm (3 inches) in diameter - these are usually served in groups of five or ten. In the United States it is traditional to eat pancakes or waffles as part of breakfast or brunch on Sunday.

In England, pancakes have three key ingredients: plain flour, eggs, and milk. The batter is quite runny and forms a thin layer on the bottom of the frying pan when the pan is tilted. It may form some bubbles during cooking, which results in a pale pancake with dark spots where the bubbles were, but the pancake does not rise. These pancakes may be eaten as a sweet dessert with the traditional topping of lemon juice and sugar, or wrapped around savory stuffings and eaten as a main course. When baked instead of fried, this batter rises (despite not having any raising agents; it rises because the air beaten into the batter expands) and is known as Yorkshire pudding. English pancakes are similar to French crêpes, and Italian crespelle, but are not "lacy" in appearance. In Scotland and Ireland pancakes, locally known as drop scones, pancakes or girdle cakes, are more like the American variation and are served as such (see below). Scottish pancakes are made from self-raising flour, eggs, sugar and milk with Irish pancakes being made with soda-flour and buttermilk.

Scottish pancake and fruit crumpet.

Pancakes similar to the North American pancake but smaller (usually about 3.5 in / 9 cm in diameter) are known in the British Isles as Scotch pancakes or (after the traditional method of dropping batter onto a griddle (a girdle in Scots) drop-scones, and in Australia and New Zealand as pikelets. They can be served with jam and cream or just with butter. In the U.S., these are known as "silver dollar pancakes" since each individual pancake is approximately the size of a U.S. silver dollar (with Eisenhower on the face, no longer minted). In Scotland, pancakes are rarely served as a breakfast item, but are more commonly considered a teacake or dessert. They are available plain, or as a fruit pancake with raisins baked inside. In Scotland larger thinner teacakes made to a similar recipe are called crumpets. These are cooked on the girdle on one side until it is browned, then lightly cooked on the other side. Both Scotch pancakes and crumpets can be made with plain flour and baking soda as an alternative to self-raising flour.

Crêpe opened up

French crêpes, popular in France, Quebec, and Brazil (where they're usually called pancakes, or merely crêpes) are made from flour, milk, and eggs. Due to their thin consistency, they are usually served with a large amount of filling, widely ranging from fruit and/or ice cream, to seafood (in Brazil, most usually ground meat).

"German" pancakes, often served in American pancake houses, are shaped like a bowl, and come in a range of sizes. Some are large enough to be almost impossible for one person to finish. They are commonly eaten with lemons and powdered sugar, although jam is sometimes used as well. The pancakes eaten in Germany, however, are of the English variety. They are called Pfannkuchen, although in some areas (Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxonia) that is instead the local name for Berliner, a type of doughnut. Pancakes are called Eierkuchen there. In Swabia, cut pancakes (Flädle) are a traditional soup ingredient.

In Austria pancakes are called Palatschinken, a word derived from Latin placenta by way of Romanian, and are usually filled with apricot jam, chocolate sauce or hazelnut spread. Similar pancakes with similar names can be found throughout the former Austria-Hungary (today Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia), see Palatschinken.

Scandinavian pancakes are similar to English pancakes. They are traditionally served with jam and/or ice cream or whipped cream, although they may also be served as a main dish with a variety of savory fillings. Traditional Swedish variations can be somewhat exotic. Some resemble English pancakes with a tiny diameter; these are called plättar, and they are fried several at a time in a special pan. Others resemble German pancakes but include fried pork in the batter; these are cooked in an oven. There are also potato pancakes, called raggmunk. These contain shredded raw potato and, sometimes, other vegetables. If the actual pancake batter is left out, the fried cakes of grated potatoes are called rårakor. Both the latter versions are eaten traditionally with pork rinds and/or lingonberry jam. Norwegians like their pancakes with sugar or blueberry jam, and it is often served with a hot soup along with it. Norwegians eat a great deal of rice pudding/porridge - leftovers from this can be made into a sort of small pancakes. These small pancakes (whith rice or like the swedish "plättar") the norwegians call "lapper".

In Malaysia and Singapore, a pancake-like snack known as roti canai (Malaysia) or roti prata (Singapore) is made with a filling, usually cheese or kaya but occasionally bean paste, ground peanut, blueberry or custard. There are other interesting variations, such as those made with soya bean partially replacing the flour. A different type of pancake called ban chean kuih (曼煎糕) filled with cane sugar and sweet corn is popular in Penang.

In Russia, Poland and Ukraine, blintz and blini are made from wheat or buckwheat flour, yeast, butter, eggs and milk. Blini cooking has an ancient history in Russia dating back to the pagan traditions and feasts.

In Ethiopia, injera is made from a fermented sourdough batter of buckwheat or, the more traditional, teff.

In Hungary, palacsinta is made from flour, milk and/or soda water, sugar, and eggs and served as a main dish or as a dessert, depending on the filling. Sweet wine can also be added to the batter.

In Italy, cannelloni is made from pancake batter or noodle dough and then filled, covered with cheese, and baked.

In the Middle East, pita is made from flour and yeast.

In India, dosa is made from rice flour and fried in a skillet.

In Chinese cuisine, green onion pancakes are the thin pancakes made with buckwheat flour and green onions and served with moo shu dishes.

In Mexico, they are generally called "hotcakes" rather than "pancakes." Similar in style to pancakes served in the U.S., hotcakes are more often made by mixing or replacing the wheat flour with corn. In addition to being a popular breakfast item at restaurants throughout the country, it is not uncommon to see hotcake vendors on the streets of Mexico City and other cities as well as during the local celebrations of small towns through the day and evening; the vendors usually sell a single hotcake topped with different sauces such as condensed milk, fruit jam or a sweet goat milk spread called "cajeta."

In Egypt, katief is made.

In Venezuela, pancakes are topped with butter and white cheese.

In Japan, Dorayaki is a popular sweet consisting of bean paste sandwiched between two pancake-like patties of castella.

Details

Pancakes with strawberries and cream.

Pancakes are comparable to waffles without syrup traps ( Mitch Hedberg ), although waffles often contain more eggs and are cooked in a waffle iron.

Most types of pancakes, but not the Breton galette, are cooked one side at a time and flipped halfway through the cooking process to cook the other side of the pancake. The process of tossing or flipping is part of the essence of the pancake, and one of the skills that separates the experienced cook from the beginner.

North American pancakes can be made sweet or savory by adding ingredients such as blueberries, strawberries, cheese, bacon, bananas or chocolate chips to the batter.

English pancakes can be stuffed after cooking with a wide variety of sweet or savoury fillings. Both versions can be sweetened after cooking by pouring on syrup or sprinkling with powdered sugar.

In Canada and the United States, the pancake is usually a breakfast food, but it is so popular that a franchised restaurant called International House of Pancakes, commonly called IHOP, has more than 1,000 restaurants serving at all hours of the day. North American pancake lovers travelling abroad should bring their own maple syrup, as it is produced in North America and can be expensive and difficult to find elsewhere. Even table syrup (a less expensive artificially-flavored replacement for maple syrup) can be difficult to find elsewhere.

In Australia and Britain, pancakes are eaten as a dessert, or served savory with a main meal. However, in Australia, they can sometimes be eaten as a main meal, as they are in the U.S. and Canada.

In the Netherlands, pancakes are called Pannenkoeken and eaten at dinnertime. Pancake restaurants are popular family restaurants and serve many varieties of sweet, savory, and stuffed pancakes. Pannenkoek are slightly thicker than crepes and usually quite large (12" or more) in diameter. The batter is egg-based and the fillings can include sliced apples, cheese, ham, bacon, candied ginger and many other ingredients - alone or in combination - as well as stroop, a thick syrup.

In Sweden and Finland, it is traditional to eat yellow pea soup followed by pancakes on Thursdays. However, there is no such nationwide consensus regarding pancakes consumption on the other days of the week.

In the Philippines, pancakes are served with either evaporated milk, margarine (as butter is not popular in the Philippines), sugar or condensed milk. Usually, they are served for breakfast, but there are some stalls selling smaller pancakes with margarine and sugar on top for snacking.

A smaller pancake, often called a "silver dollar" pancake, is sometimes used in the creation of hors d'oeuvres in place of crackers or other bread-like items.

Banana pancakes, in particular, are a popular menu item in Western-oriented backpackers' cafes in many Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, India, and China.

Pancake Day

Main article: Shrove Tuesday

In Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia , pancakes are traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday, which is also known as "Pancake Day." (Shrove Tuesday is better known in the United States, France and other countries as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday.) Historically, pancakes were made on Shrove Tuesday so that the last of the fat and rich foods could be used up before Lent.

Charity or school events are often organized on Pancake Day. One popular event is a "pancake race" in which each participant carries a pancake in a frying pan. While running, race participants must toss their own pancake in the air and catch it with their frying pan. This event originated in the town of Olney, England in 1444 when a housewife was still busy frying pancakes to consume before fasting during Lent when she heard the bells of St Peter and St Paul's Church calling her to the Shriving Service. Eager to get to church, she ran out of her house still holding the frying pan complete with pancake, and still wearing her apron and headscarf.

Since 1950, every Shrove Tuesday, the towns of Olney, England and Liberal, Kansas, USA have competed in the International Pancake Race. Eligible competitors (local women only) race along a previously agreed course and their times are compared to determine the international winner.

See also

• Thin pancakes:
  • Blintz
  • Crêpe
  • Galette
• Okonomiyaki
• Tortilla
• Dutch baby pancake

External links

• History of the Olney, England pancake race