I love pancakes.
Whenever I am at a restaurant with a group of friends, if pancakes are on the menu, I will always get an order for the table. It's a perfect side dish for sharing, and I want to see what each restaurant is doing with their pancakes.
I used to help run a cafe in St. Louis, and we would always have at least two pancake dishes on the menu. We had a beautiful sourdough starter, and our sourdough pancakes were a staple. In addition to that, we would do a seasonal take on different pancakes.
In the summer it might be socca, a chickpea flour and olive oil pancake, served with a yogurt sauce and a summer vegetable salad. Fall could bring in a braised chicken and chevre stuffed crepe with a silky squash sauce. One January we did an Alpine inspired dinner and we surprised our dinner guests with a Kaiserschmarrn to finish the meal. This dish is a fluffy and crispy Austrian souffle pancake that is torn into pieces before being served.
One of my very favorite pancakes to make and eat are pikelets. These were introduced to me by one of my best friends during our days together at the cafe. Pikelets, and particularly the version that my friend introduced me to, are British porous pancakes made with a yeasted bubbly batter.
Making pikelets is a fairly easy process and, honestly, it’s a lot of fun watching the batter transform along the way. The finished product is fluffy and a little bit chewy compared to an American pancake. The yeast in the batter adds a little nuance to the flavor. They are traditionally cooked into a small, freeform disk. If cooked in a ring mold, they could be considered crumpets. They can be served sweet or savory for any occasion.
Pikelets
Yield: 20 pancakes
Active time: 30 minutes
Start to finish: Approximately 2 hours
7 grams active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups water, warm
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups milk, warm
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
Oil and/or butter for cooking
1. In a small bowl, measure together the yeast, warm water and sugar. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast: it will become frothy when ready.
2. In a large mixing bowl, measure together the flours. Add the yeast mixture with the warm milk and mix well to create a thick batter. Cover and rest for 1 hour, or until risen.
3. Whisk the baking soda and salt into the batter and mix until smooth. Cover for 20 minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface.
4. Heat a griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat and brush with oil and/or butter.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until bubbles appear and burst.
6. Flip and cook for 2 additional minutes.
7. Serve immediately, or cool and toast to reheat.
Serving Pikelets
I like to think of pikelets as little canvases for delicious toppings. Traditionally they might be served simply with a little butter. It is also common to find them with jam and cream served during tea time.
Today I had some leftover apricot jam from my Bulgogi Mince recipe, so I piled some on top with some soft butter. Absolutely delicious sweet treat. The texture of the cooked batter firms up nicely so it is a great hand held snack.
I also had a tin of smoked salmon in my cupboard. I have already written a blog about my fondness for tinned fish. I spread some yogurt on top of the pikelets, added some of the smokey salmon, a few capers, and some fresh dill. One of the best bites that I’ve had in a while. This dish could be a star appetizer at any dinner party.
Pikelets can be a blank canvas for any topping. Use them as buns for little slider sandwiches. Pile on some fresh fruit for a summertime snack. Drag them through your favorite dips. There are no boundaries on how to enjoy them.
The Chopping Block is running a Pancakes Around the World class on Saturday, June 13 at 10am with this exact recipe, and I will be the chef instructor.
Check out the menu:
- Pikelets with Cherry Jam and Whipped Maple Butter: Small Yeasted Batter Pancakes Popular in the UK and Australia
- Socca with Lemon-Garlic Yogurt and Za’atar Spiced Chickpeas: Savory Pancakes from Provence, France Made with Chickpea Flour and Olive Oil
- Dutch Baby with Crispy Prosciutto and Berries: Puffy Pancake Baked in a Cast Iron Pan is an American Take on a German Dish
- Okonomiyaki with Pork Belly and Okonomi Sauce: Griddle Savory Japanese Pancake
We can’t wait to see you there!
