Recipes / Breakfast / American Ingredients Servings
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Quantities for 4 servings
260 g plain flour 2 tbsp caster sugar 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 3/4 tsp fine sea salt 400 ml buttermilk 2 large eggs 50 g unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan 1 tsp vanilla extract Maple syrup and butter, to serve
This one is closer to chemistry: the quantities in the base are holding the texture together, so weigh them as written rather than going by eye. Flavourings are a different matter — citrus, spices, extracts, nuts and toppings are all yours to play with.
Method 1 Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt together thoroughly. The bicarbonate reacts with the acidic buttermilk for lift, and the baking powder gives a second rise in the pan. 2 Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla in a separate jug. 3 Pour the wet into the dry and stir with no more than about ten strokes. The batter should be visibly lumpy with dry patches still showing — this is correct. A smooth batter means developed gluten and flat, chewy pancakes. 4 Rest the batter for 10 minutes. It will thicken and you'll see bubbles forming on the surface as the raising agents start working. 5 Heat a non-stick pan over medium-LOW heat with a little butter. Test with a teaspoon of batter: it should take about 30 seconds to start bubbling. Sizzling instantly means the pan is too hot and the outside will burn before the middle sets. 6 Ladle in rounds of batter and leave them completely alone until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look dry and matte — about 2–3 minutes. 7 Flip once and cook for a further 1–2 minutes. Only ever flip once, and never press down with the spatula; both crush out the air you spent the whole recipe creating. 8 Stack on a warm plate and serve with butter and maple syrup. Tap a step to cross it off. Your place is saved on this device.
Cook’s notes No buttermilk? Stir 1 tbsp lemon juice into 400 ml whole milk and leave it 10 minutes. It's not quite as thick but the acid does the same job.
The first pancake is always the worst — it calibrates the pan temperature. Cook's perk.
How it should look Photos of the finished dish, so you know what you’re aiming for.
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