American pancake recipe that actually works?

[Whipple]

DD1 loves these for breakfast on holidays etc. She has an inset day on Thurs and has already asked for them.

The faff involved annoys me but not as much ending up with pancakes that are raw in the middle.

Everybloodytime.

I am tempted just to pick up some in the shop.

What am I doing wrong?

Do you have a fail safe recipe?

[BrianButterfield]

Look for Scotch pancake or drop scone recipes. They taste the same as American pancakes to me but don't involve all the faff of separating eggs etc and no raw bits! (I had that too with 'proper' ones). The trick is not to worry about lumps in the batter - they actually come out well if they're lumpy.

[karinmaria]

This recipe from the BBC food website has never let me down: www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/fluffyamericanpancak_74828

On iPhone and don't know how to link properly, sorry! If you can't be bothered with melting butter I've found that using light olive oil works too.

[ShatnersBassoon]

I use the one in Nigella Express. No failures yet.

[ShatnersBassoon]

Nigella pancake mix

[GwennieF]

Another vote for karinmaria's recipe here - works a treat!

[BornToFolk]

I do the Jamie Oliver recipe - one cup self-raising flour, one cup milk, one egg. Whizz up with the hand mixer, add any fruit you fancy. Really easy and always turn out well.

[Shinyshoes1]

I'm the same as borntofolk I use Jamie O's recipe and it's fine

[Whipple]

Its Jamie Oliver that keeps turning out raw for me!

What am I doing wrong?

Does it always turn out really thick batter? Is that right?

How much do you put in the pan for each pancake?

[SavoyCabbage]

I make a load of Nigella's mix and store it in a container and we have them every weekend.

Have your gas on the lowest setting.

[Whipple]

I have an electric stove, should it be on the lowest number?

[Vibbe]

We use this recipe - you can just leave the blueberries out if you want: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4915/american-blueberry-pancakes

Cook at medium heat so you don't burn the outside of the pancakes while the inside remains raw.

[SavoyCabbage]

Lowish. Medium low. Put it on higher at first to get the pan hot. I use butter to fry them. I know people use that spray oil.

Spoon your batter on to the pan. It will spread a bit. Leave it. Bubbles/holes form and you can see the brown underneath so you can flip. You can always do the first side a bit more if you need to.

I stack them on a plate with a tea towel over to keep them warm.

[UptoapointLordCopper]

I mix the batter the night before so in the morning it's ready to go. I've frozen them before too and they were good defrosted.

[Whipple]

That's what I want to do, make the batter the night before.

I hate faffing first thing in the morning. Can all batter recipes be made the night before?

[TWinklyLittleStar]

The recipe karinmaria linked to works perfectly for me every time. Medium heat, don't flip them until the top is bubbling.

[UptoapointLordCopper]

I don't know if all batter can be made the night before. I use Dan Lepard's buttermilk pancake recipe. Usually I make the batter the night before, and the next morning I add mash up bananas, baking powder and blueberries, while the pan is warming up. Only because I'm worried the yoghurt will react with the baking powder too early in the fridge. Don't know if that would happen though but don't want to risk it!

[valiumredhead]

Google Delia's recipe, works every time

[dontmeanto]

Your pan is too hot I'd say. I'm American, I know! Haha. I have a brilliant fuss-free recipe if you want it, but it sounds like the outside is cooking too fast before the inside gets to.

To test your heat, throw a small bit of batter on, it should start to bubble in about 8-10 seconds. Any less, too hot. Always wait for the bubbling all over on the surface before you flip.

Non- refridgerated ingredients work best so leave your batter out to get to room temp.

[DonutForMyself]

I find Nigella's a bit salty, so if you're not big salt eaters, cut it back a bit.

I use Krusteze pancake mix from Costco mixed with water

[Xiaoxiong]

Agree with my fellow countryperson dontmeanto that it sounds like your pan is too hot - it should be no hotter than medium and the butter should melt but not go brown (you must fry pancakes in butter, it's the rules - also real maple syrup, no Aunt Jemima or other HFCS abominations).

Also you have to wait until it has a couple of bubbles in the middle that don't close up again. If it bubbles all over, but the bubbles then close up, it's not ready to be flipped yet. Wait till the bubbles stay open.

I use the recipe in How to cook everything - make it the night before and it's fine the next morning. I think as long as you're using a recipe that doesn't involve beaten egg whites you can make it the night before no problem.

[Xiaoxiong]

Another useful thing is to make a big batch of pancakes, store in fridge, then toast in the toaster. They freeze too and you can toast from frozen.

This is not as good as making them fresh, but for weekday breakfasts it's quick and easy.

[jennycoast]

Nigella's one that you make in the blender is great.

[Whipple]

Wow freezing them is genuis

[onelittlepiglet]

Nigella's every time - never fails.

[Amibambini]

This one works again and again and again and is SO DELICIOUS I think I'm going to make it tomorrow morning.
allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fluffy-Pancakes-2/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=fluffy%20pancakes&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

It's also all about getting the pan quite hot initially then turning down heat to low. And lots of butter.