| One of the secrets of making great pancakes is | | | | This will not happen on a surface that is merely warm. |
| learning the secret of starting with the proper | | | | In normal cooking situations it is agreed that the |
| temperature of your pancake griddle and maintaining | | | | Leidenfrost effect occurs when the temperature of |
| that temperature while cooking the pancakes. | | | | the griddle is at approximately 325 degrees F. |
| It's important of course to start with a good pancake | | | | Find and record the best setting for your stove: |
| recipe or mix. Search the Web and you will find many | | | | Since the 'dancing water' or Leidenfrost effect occurs |
| excellent pancake recipes and making pancake batter | | | | at 325 degrees F, and the best accepted temperature |
| from scratch will give you wonderful results. And while | | | | for cooking pancakes that turn out perfectly is 375 |
| many scoff at premixed options, these are also an | | | | degrees F, you can use a simple method to determine |
| excellent alternative and a great time saver. | | | | the setting for the burners on your stove. Start by |
| When the kids are begging for pancakes on a | | | | warming up your pancake griddle to a very warm, but |
| weekend morning, and time is of the essence, a good | | | | not hot temperature. Make sure it is preheated well but |
| premade mix and a little water will have pancakes on | | | | it is not hot enough to exhibit the Leidenfrost effect. |
| the table in record time. Poor preparation rather than | | | | Then slowly increase the settings on your burners until |
| the poor quality of pancake mix is usually the reason | | | | you determine the point where a drop of water landing |
| box mixes are looked down upon. | | | | on the griddle will 'dance'. Work your way up slowly |
| Use a cast iron pancake griddle: | | | | and give the griddle time to heat between each |
| If you want to make excellent tasting pancakes | | | | change in your burner controls. You will want to make |
| consistently with the least amount of mess and | | | | sure that the pancake griddle has reached the |
| cleanup time, the perfect answer is a cast iron | | | | maximum temperature of your current settings before |
| pancake griddle. Using this properly on an electric or | | | | you test with a few drops of water. |
| gas stove converts your kitchen into a grill just like the | | | | Once you have determined the exact settings where |
| ones in a commercial restaurant. A cast iron griddle | | | | the Leidenfrost effect takes place, make a note of the |
| heats evenly and because of its weight and mass it | | | | position of your burner controls for future reference. |
| maintains its temperature much more evenly as you | | | | By knowing these settings you will always be able to |
| cook. | | | | reheat your griddle knowing that you have an exact |
| Other types of cookware such as lightweight Teflon | | | | point of reference. |
| coated frying pans or electric fry pans or griddles are | | | | According to some cooking guides, the temperature of |
| notorious for having rapidly fluctuating temperature | | | | 325F or 160C correlates to the 'medium-low' setting on |
| control and uneven heating. The tried and true cast iron | | | | your stove or range. The pancake cooking |
| griddle is a time tested answer to solve these | | | | temperature of 375F (190C) is closer to 'medium-high'. |
| problems. | | | | Record the settings that work best for your stove: |
| The main reason people have trouble making good | | | | So you will now want to bring the temperature up just |
| pancakes is that they do not have a good method of | | | | a little before you start frying your pancakes. Try a |
| determining the proper heat of the griddle before they | | | | small increase at first for one or two test pancakes |
| start cooking. If pancakes are cooked at too low a | | | | and if you feel that it takes too long for them to finish |
| heat they turn out tough and chewy. If cooked at too | | | | increase the setting and give the pancake griddle time |
| high a heat, the outside become crisp and burnt while | | | | to adjust to the new heat setting before trying again. |
| the insides are raw and doughy. | | | | Once you have determined the best pancake setting |
| The next time you make pancakes, take a few | | | | for your equipment make a note of it. You will now |
| minutes to determine the proper settings for heating | | | | find that it is extremely easy and fast to make |
| your pancake griddle with the following method. The | | | | pancakes in the future. All you will need to do is put |
| trick to this method is known by many cooks but most | | | | your pancake griddle on the stove, turn the burner |
| probably don't know the science behind it. | | | | settings to these predetermined marks and give the |
| The Leidenfrost effect: | | | | griddle a little time to heat up. |
| When you let a drop of water fall onto a hot pancake | | | | Just by using a few drops of water and with knowing |
| griddle, the water drop will dance around and stay in its | | | | how the Leidenfrost effect works, you will easily be |
| droplet shape while it skitters across the surface. The | | | | able to tell if your pancake griddle is ready and at the |
| scientific name for this is the Leidenfrost effect. When | | | | right temperature. You'll be able to turn out great |
| the drop hits the hot surface the water that comes in | | | | tasting and most importantly properly cooked |
| contact is immediately vaporized and the steam | | | | pancakes in less time than it will take you to finish your |
| created pushes the remaining water in the drop up and | | | | first cup of morning coffee. |
| away from the heated griddle. | | | | |