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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

A flat failure

Pancake fail

I don't know what happened because I'm usually pretty good at pancakes but last night's batch were more or less a disaster. This one was the only presentable one of the bunch and even it started to fall apart when I flipped it. I obviously should have followed Petit Filoux's example and had a run through at the weekend. It might have been that I combined my melted butter with the flour before mixing it into the batter (in an attempt to stop it solidifying as usually happens) or just that I'm out of practice as I usually make the equally delicious, but less technically demanding American style pancakes. I can't even have another try this evening as the boyfriend wouldn't approve - something about today being the first day of Lent and all.

5 comments:

Ruth said...

ooh, you put butter in your pancakes? Interesting! I always have a crap couple before I get into my stride. I'm sure they tasted lovely anyway =)

Petit Filoux said...

Oh no!!! Why do you add melted butter though? I usually just use flour, eggs and milk, and just oil the pan and that's it - if your bofriend's uptight about it being lent you'll have to try again as soon as it's over!!!

Emma said...

Well it looks gorgeously yummy to me!

Ruthcrafts said...

looks good to me! we had a batch of Delia's, and she adds a little melted butter to the batter just before it is cooked... we had a couple of rather non-round ones at beginning and end, but they were great tasting, and that's what matters!

Anonymous said...

It was how you mixed in the butter. I'm guessing that the butter coated the flour, and that inhibited gluten formation. Gluten gives doughs elasticity and stick-together-ness. It forms from the combination of flour proteins and water (or other liquid)

I was taught to make the batter for palatschinken (the Austrian version of Swedish pancakes) in a liquidizer or with a hand liquidizer. You get a perfectly even batter. It works beautifully every time.