Australian Gourmet Traveller - (07)July 2019 (1)

Masterclass

Toolkit

• A Frenchballoonwhiskwill
  helpaeratetheeggwhites
  quicklyandwithminimaleffort
  forextrafluffypancakes.


• A cast-ironfryingpangivesa
  soundresult,buttheydorequire
  maintenance.A non-stickfrying
  pan,suchastheTechnIQModern
  SkilletfromScanpan($469),gives
  greatresultswithoutthefuss.

M

y dad used to make us pancakes as kids on

special occasions, so they’ve always resonated

with me. Nowadays, if I’m cooking breakfast,

it means I’m on holidays or annual leave, so in

a roundabout way, pancakes equal happiness. Buttermilk is a

staple in the American South, so almost every pancake I’ve

eaten has had buttermilk in it – and the South always sneaks

into how I cook. The acidity in buttermilk also reacts with the

leavening agent, which gives the pancake more lift; I also think

the acidity helps cut the sweetness. There are a million ways to

make most things, but I like the lightness and fluffiness that

the whipped eggwhites give the batter. The thought process

came from making sponge cakes and meringues, the method

worked out, and I’ve done it ever since.

Step bystep

pancakes,notmuesli– treat

yourself.Adda fewladlesof

battertocreateroundsand

letthebatterfryin thepanuntil

a lotofbubblescometothe

surface(2-3minutes).Flip,and

cookuntilsetonthebottom

(2-3minutes).Themorebutter

youuse(well,toa point),the

crisperyourpancakeswill

be.Servewarmwithwhatever

toppingstakeyourfancy.

ToppingsMyfavouritetoppingsarefresh

slicedbanana,roastedpecans,andmaple

syrup.In Australia,maltsyrupis anawesome

alternative.Stayawayfromthefakemaple

stuff.I amalsoa suckerforpancakeswith

cannedpeachesandcrèmefraîche– it

soundsnaff,butit’ssupertasty.●

1

Sift300gmplainflour,10gm

bakingpowder,85gmcaster

sugarand5gmfinesaltintoa

largebowl.

2

Whisk3 eggyolks,85gm

meltedbutterand375gm

buttermilkin a separatebowl

untilsmooth.

3

In a clean,drybowl,

whiskeggwhitesuntil

aboutmedium-stiffpeaks,

beingcarefulnottoover-whip.

4

Gentlymixyolkmixture

intodryingredientsuntil

theyjustcometogether–

smalllumpsaretotallyfine,

evenencouraged.Youwant

aslittleagitationaspossible

tokeepthemlightandfluffy.

5

Foldineggwhiteswith

a spatula,beingcareful

nottodeflatethewhites.

Oncethebatterhasjust

cometogether,stopmixing.

6

Heata cast-ironskilletor

a non-stickfryingpanover

medium-lowheatandaddas

muchbutterasyouliketothe

pan,themorethebetter;they’re

3

2

6

GOURMET TRAVELLER 33

WORDS & RECIPE CASEY WALL. PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER. STYLING HARRIET DAVIDSON.