Fluffy pancakes are a perfect way to start a morning. Here are some pancake pointers to get you on your way:
1. Turn on the heat. Heat your skillet over medium-high heat, or turn on your griddle to 375° about 5 minutes before using. Grease the surface with a light coating of vegetable oil. If greasing with cooking spray, spray it before heating. If the surface is well seasoned or is nonstick, you may not have to grease it. To test the temperature of your skillet or griddle, sprinkle it with a few drops of water. If the water bubbles skitter around before they disappear, the heat is just right.
2. Stir it up. Stir the batter with a wire whisk or a fork, just until the ingredients are moistened. Don't worry if there are small lumps in the batter. These lumps will disappear during cooking. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the batter for up to an hour, but don't refrigerate it longer or the pancakes may not be nice and puffy.
3. Take a test run. Start with one test pancake so you can see how your pancake batter will act. If the batter is too thin, it will spread unevenly and result in flat pancakes a too-thick batter won't spread much at all. If you like your pancakes a bit on the thinner side, add a little milk until the batter reaches the desired consistency. For well-rounded pancakes about 4 inches wide, pour the batter onto the hot skillet or griddle using either a 1/4-cup measuring cup, a large spring-handled ice cream scoop or a large spoon.
4. Flip 'em only once! Repeated cooking on both sides will toughen rather than brown the pancakes. Flip the pancakes when they're puffed, covered with bubbles and dry around the edges. Cook the other sides until golden brown, remembering that the second side never browns as evenly as the first.
5. Keep 'em warm. If you're feeding a crowd, you can keep the pancakes warm by placing them in a single layer on a wire rack or paper towel-lined cookie sheet in a 200° oven. Be careful not to stack warm pancakes, or they'll become limp and soggy.
Why are my pancakes tough and leathery?
Griddle or skillet temperature too low or too high.
Pancakes turned more than once.
Why don't my pancakes rise and get puffy?
Not enough Bisquick or too much liquid.
Batter stood too long either at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Bisquick stored too long.
Griddle or skillet temperature too low or too high.
From "Betty Crocker's Bisquick Cookbook." Text Copyright 2000 General Mills, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
