Carlton’s Fabulous

Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

(This recipe makes about forty 3 to 4 inch plain buttermilk pancakes,

which is enough for 5 to 6 people)

Ingredients:

2 cups - self-rising flour (Martha White)

3 eggs – separated (large)

3 cups of buttermilk (Mayfield)

3 heaping tablespoons of confection Powdered Sugar (Dixie Crystal)

¼ cup of sour cream (Breakstone)

1 tablespoon of baking powder

½ teaspoon of vanilla extract (McCormick)

Non-stick cooking spray (Pam)

Utensils Needed:

Pancake griddle (18 inch)

Spatula (stainless steel)

Large mixing bowl (3 to 4 quart)

Small mixing bowl (1 quart)

Mixer

Sifter

Directions:

Preheat pancake griddle to 400 degrees (1)

Sift flour into large mixing bowl

Add powdered sugar

Add baking powder

Add vanilla extract

Add sour cream

Add three eggs yolks

Add buttermilk

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites into a meringue and set aside

Mix ingredients of large bowl until ingredients are well mixed with no lumps.

If necessary, add a little more buttermilk just until batter pours out of a large spoon or drips off the mixer beaters continuously, not in lumps (use thicker batter for waffles)

Fold in the egg white meringue

Test the pancake griddle for the proper heat(1)

Lightly spray griddle with Pam cooking spray

Quickly spoon batter out to make eight 3 to 4 inch pancakes

Allow pancakes to cook until golden brown (usually 30 to 60 seconds), then flip.

(1) The temperature of the skillet is the most crucial factor in the success of the pancake. The skillet must be hot enough that water droplets dance on the skillet and smoke rises from the skillet, but must not be any hotter. The chef recommends that you wipe a skillet that is too hot with a wad of wet paper towels, then allow the skillet to smoke before proceeding.

(2) I recommend that you serve these pancakes with melted butter, maple syrup, and a tall cold glass of orange juice or chocolate milk (not the low fat chocolate milk, but the high fat - thick-as-molasses stuff). As an option, you might replace the melted butter with whip cream.

(3) If the pancakes turn out white with a brown ring around the edge, then your cooking surface is not hot enough. This is a common mistake. Note- you may want to wait a minute or so between batches to allow the griddle to reheat.

(4) Extra pancakes will keep in the refrigerator for a day or two, and can be reheated in the microwave very quickly. Another option is to use the leftovers to play Frisbee with your dog - that's what we do.

About this Recipe:

I developed this recipe over a twenty+ year period in which I have sought to create the ultimate buttermilk pancake. Over the years, my wife and children have endured dozens of recipe variations towards this effort. To this day, I still adjusts this recipe in search of a better mix, but my wife - Mary Lou - reports that the recipe shown above is the best.