Pancakes perfected: Secrets to flawless, elastic crepes

It might seem that pancakes are such a simple dish that anyone can fry them. Maybe so, but their quality can vary greatly. Soft, elastic, thin cakes that don't tear are ideal. Unfortunately, achieving this is not so easy.

The key to making good pancakes is using the right ingredients, batter, and frying method. Each of these areas has its tricks, and every culinary authority offers their own tips. For example, Robert Makłowicz recommends using buttermilk instead of milk, which makes the batter exceptionally fluffy and elastic. Lara Gessler, on the other hand, advises adding a teaspoon of powdered sugar to the flour because she believes it helps the pancakes brown more quickly and get crispy at the edges. Here are a few more tried-and-true tricks for pancakes.

• Pancakes will be elastic if, instead of mixing all the ingredients at once, you first whisk the eggs, and then add the flour, water, and milk.
• Pancakes, like many other dough-based dishes, don't like being rushed. After preparing the batter, cover the bowl and set it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This allows the gluten to properly hydrate, enabling you to fry very thin pancakes that won't tear.
• Greasy pancakes are undesirable. You need to fry them with a small amount of fat, greasing the pan every two to three pancakes. A cooking brush, preferably silicone, is ideal for this. This ensures the entire surface is evenly covered with a thin layer of fat, and the pancake cooks perfectly.

Lately, I've added one more trick to my pancake list, which involves the main ingredient, flour. Instead of regular wheat flour, I use cake flour, which is ground the finest. This type of flour is incredibly delicate and is often called "soft" because it contains less protein than all-purpose flour. Although it's intended for baking cakes, as the name suggests, it also works great for pancakes. For even better results, it's worth sifting the flour. This makes the pancakes delicate, soft, yet very elastic. They're perfect for serving with fruits, jams, cheese, and even all kinds of savoury fillings.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs,
• 1 cup cake flour,
• a pinch of salt,
• 60 ml water,
• 240 ml milk,
• 3 tablespoons melted butter for the batter,
• butter for frying.

Preparation method:

1. Sift the flour into a bowl, and add salt.
2. Add milk, water, and the previously whisked eggs to the flour. Mix everything to a smooth mass using a mixer at high speed, gradually adding the melted butter.
3. Heat the pan and lightly grease it with butter using a brush.
4. Pour portions of the batter onto the hot pan and spread them evenly over the entire surface. Fry the pancakes to a golden colour on both sides.