Thursday, August 06, 2009

Absolute Favorite Dinner

My daughter just turned 6.5 and my wife is BIG on celebrating the half birthdays.  With this being said it was decided that daughter got her favorite dinner (which oddly enough is my wife's favorite too).  Chocolate Chip Pancakes.

Couple of hints and tricks with pancakes:

1) leave the batter lumpy - if you over mix it you will create gluten and destroy the fluffy and create chewy pancakes.  Just get all the dry incorporated and you are good to go, the lumps cook out.
2) when adding stuff (chocolate chips, berries etc...) do it after you have ladled the batter onto the pan by sprinkling them onto the pancakes.

Recipe:
Makes sixteen 4-inch pancakes; Serves 4 to 6.   Published July 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.

The pancakes can be cooked on an electric griddle. Set the griddle temperature to 350 degrees and cook as directed. The test kitchen prefers a lower-protein all-purpose flour like Gold Medal or Pillsbury. If you use an all-purpose flour with a higher protein content, like King Arthur, you will need to add an extra tablespoon or two of buttermilk.

INGREDIENTS

2cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces) (see note) 
2tablespoons sugar
1/2teaspoon table salt
1teaspoon baking powder
1/2teaspoon baking soda
2cups buttermilk
1/4cup sour cream
2large eggs
3tablespoon unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1 - 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Spray wire rack set inside baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; place in oven. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in medium bowl. In second medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, and melted butter. Make well in center of dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients; gently stir until just combined (batter should remain lumpy with few streaks of flour). Do not overmix. Allow batter to sit 10 minutes before cooking.

  2. 2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Using paper towels, carefully wipe out oil, leaving thin film of oil on bottom and sides of pan. Using ¼ cup measure, portion batter into pan in 4 places. Cook until edges are set, first side is golden brown, and bubbles on surface are just beginning to break, 2 to 3 minutes. Using thin, wide spatula, flip pancakes and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Serve pancakes immediately, or transfer to wire rack in preheated oven. Repeat with remaining batter, using remaining oil as necessary.