Classic Pancakes with Butter and Maple Syrup

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (or ½ teaspoon baking soda if you’re going to use buttermilk)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups milk (or buttermilk)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for serving
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• Maple syrup and/or jam, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, granulated sugar, and baking powder.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with 1½ cups of the milk (or see the Glamour Girl Tip on page 37 for instructions on how to make the pancakes even fluffier by separating the whites and yolks).
3. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Don’t overmix or the pancakes will be tough—blend just enough to get the flour moist, even if the mixture stays a bit lumpy. You can add up to ½ cup more regular milk (not buttermilk) to thin the batter if necessary.
4. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes to settle.
5. Heat a large nonstick skillet or lightly oiled cast-iron skillet over moderately low heat.
6. Melt ½ tablespoon butter at the center of the skillet where you will spoon the batter (optional).
7. Spoon about ¼ cup batter into the hot skillet directly onto the melted butter; your pancake should be about the size of a hockey puck.
8. Cook the pancake until the bottom is golden brown and the bubbles on the surface begin to break, about 2 minutes.
9. Using a spatula, flip the pancake quickly. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute longer.
10. Transfer the finished pancake to a plate, cover with foil, and keep warm on the stove while you cook the rest of the batter.
11. Add additional finished pancakes to the plate, cover, and keep warm.
12. Serve the pancakes dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Pass butter, syrup, and/or jam at the table.

VARIATION:

• RASPBERRY-RICOTTA PANCAKES:
  Raspberry-ricotta pancakes, a variation on the classic recipe above, are lighter and more sophisticated. But while the pancakes look bed-and-breakfast special, you can get all the ingredients in your local grocery store (frozen raspberries work if fresh are not in season).
• 1 lemon
• 1 pint fresh or frozen raspberries (thawed)
• ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1¼ cups milk
• 4 large eggs
• Maple syrup, for serving

1. Working over a medium bowl, using a box grater or a microplane, grate the zest from the lemon, being careful not to remove any of the bitter white pith. Cut the zested lemon into wedges and set them aside.
2. Add the raspberries to the bowl with the lemon zest. Stir in ⅓ cup sugar, gently crushing the raspberries with a wooden spoon. Set aside to macerate while making the batter.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the ricotta with the milk and eggs. Add the ricotta mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes. Gently fold in the raspberries with their juices.
4. To cook the pancakes, follow steps 3 through 5 for the classic pancakes recipe.
5. Serve the finished pancakes with maple syrup and lemon wedges.

TIP:

• Make-’em-fluffy trick for any kind of pancake: Separate the whites and the yolks of the eggs and add just the
  yolks when the recipe calls for the eggs. Then beat the whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold them into the batter at the end, once all other ingredients are combined.