We visited IHOP recently and the server encouraged me to try the cheesecake pancakes. I did but unfortunately they just weren’t my favorite taste. I should have stuck with the plain pancakes. But Darin got those and said they weren’t anything special. We both reminisced about some delicious pancakes we’d had on a recent trip to DC – light, fluffy, crispy around the edges..
This recipe is a response. I made these the other morning and they were appreciated by my family. There’s just something special about the rustic flair of this stack. The secret is to fry them in butter, and fresh butter for each group of cakes. Read on to see what I mean.
Rustic Pancakes – makes about 16 4″ cakes
Ingredients:
2 cups self-rising flour
1 egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
About a stick of salted butter
Whisk together the flour, egg, cream, salt, sugar, and 1 cup of water. Add additional water as necessary to bring the batter to a smooth pourable consistency but not too thin. Whisk out all the lumps. Let the batter sit for about 10 minutes while your pan is heating.
Heat a sturdy frying pan. I love my well-seasoned cast iron pan. It is perfect for cooking everything and anything, pancakes included. A well-seasoned pan is the perfect non-stick surface.
Heat the pan on high and then turn it down to medium, medium-low, depending on your range. Peel the paper off one end of the butter and rub it on the pan to coat.
Pour out 1/4 cup measures of batter into the heated and buttered pan. Pour out two or three cakes depending on the size of your pan. Cook for about 3 minutes and 30 seconds but lift the edges around 3 minutes in just to make sure the underside is not getting too brown. Flip the cakes and cook for another 30 seconds, then remove to a plate in a warm oven.
Take the butter stick and coat the pan again, and cook more pancakes until you’ve used all your batter.
These are delicious with real maple syrup. No need to add any more butter unless you just want to.