Breakfast Techniques . Perfect Pancakes

Frustrated with how your pancakes turn out at home, but when you get them at your favorite breakfast spot they're fluffy and perfectly cooked? Let Embassy teach you a few tricks. Here's how:

- Don't over mix your batter. This could make your pancakes tough or rubbery. Instead, combine wet ingredients with dry and mix just until all the dry is mixed in.

- Don't put pancakes on a screaming hot griddle. That will leave you with pancakes that are scorched on the outside and gooey inside. Instead, coat your pan or griddle well with cooking spray or oil and heat over medium heat.

- Don't flip until bubbles appear on the top of the pancake. What is it about something cooking that makes us HAVE to flip it to see what it's doing? Don't do it! Have patience and wait until many bubbles appear on the top, not just one or two. This lets you know it's cooking all the way through and is ready for flipping.

Now that know how, try it again. Here's a recipe from Food Network's Tyler Florence to help you along:

BANANA AND PECAN PANCAKES WITH MAPLE BUTTER
2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and finely ground (not chopped)
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
3 bananas, peeled and sliced in 1/4-inch circles
Maple Butter, recipe follows
Confectioners' sugar, to garnish
Candied Pecans, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla together so they are well combined. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and stir with a spoon to get rid of the lumps. Fold in the pecans, most of the melted butter and whisk until batter is smooth.

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium low heat and swirl around a little melted butter to keep the pancakes from sticking. Using a ladle pour the batter into the pan.

Cook the pancakes on one side until they are set and then lightly press the bananas into the batter. When small bubbles appear on the uncooked surface, flip the pancakes and cook until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer pancakes to a warming plate in the oven while you make the rest.

To serve, slice the maple-honey butter, layer it between the stack of pancakes and place in the oven to melt for 1 1/2 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and candied pecans.

Maple Butter:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons honey
1 piece parchment or greaseproof paper
In a mixing bowl, using a spatula mash the butter with the maple syrup and honey until well blended. Roll it up in the paper, like a tube and twist the ends. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings


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