Pancake Fails
Cooking can be challenging, from getting the ingredients just right to using the right recipe to getting the temperature and timing correct. It’s not easy making sure every dish comes out the way it’s supposed to, especially when you have to flip something. Whether it’s burgers, omelets, or pancakes, the flip can be the hardest part. Are you good at flipping, or are you flips usually flops? When it comes to breakfast food, pancakes are always a hit, partly because there are so many ways to make them, with so many wonderful flavor combinations. The great thing about pancakes is that they are not only delicious, they’re also really easy to make … usually. Whether you’re making the batter from scratch (we admire your bravery!) or using a mix from a box, pancake mistakes can still be made. Sometimes they don’t taste right, come out dense and flavorless, and sometimes the flip just doesn’t go down the way you picture it happening in your head.
We understand. We’ve been there, done that! But we’ve learned a few pro tips along the way and today we’re here to share our hard-won expertise with you, in the hopes that your next batch of flapjacks will have your family doing backflips. Here are some of the most common pancakes fails and how to avoid them. If nothing else, maybe seeing how dreadful some pancakes have turned out will give you hope and make you feel better about your own pancake fails.
Common pancake mistakes:
Adding too many eggs/ forgetting the eggs. The recommended ratio when making pancakes is one egg for every one cup of flour. Add too many and your pancakes won’t come out right. Forget them altogether, and they definitely won’t come out right.
Overmixing. You may need some practice to discover how much mixing is enough and how much is too much. Too much mixing will overdevelop the gluten in the flour, and could definitely cause you some trouble as it will make the pancakes tough and chewy. Chewy is for bubblegum, not pancakes. It's best to leave some lumps in your batter to help it rise, but you don’t want huge clumps or leftover flour in the bottom of the bowl.
Here’s a pro tip for the perfect pancake: add some dry cereal (yes, we said cereal) or granola to the mix to help with the lump factor. The cereal will provide the right amount of texture to incorporate a little air into your batter and will absorb the moisture in the pancake batter until the two become one. Your family will never miss that ½ cup of frosted flakes! Don’t worry, there’s no extra charge for this pro tip.
Pushing down on the pancake. We cannot stress this enough – DO NOT PRESS THE PANCAKE DOWN IN THE PAN! Restrain yourself or you will regret it. Many people do this, but it is definitely a no-no in the rules of the pancake world. Yep, it’s right there on page one of the Perfect Pancake Making Manual. Violate this cardinal rule and the Pancake Police will come knocking at your door. Pressing the pancake will leave you with a dense, boring pancake as it presses all the air out, which is essential to ending up with a light, fluffy, edible pancake. You don’t want your family falling asleep over your pancakes, so avoid boring as much as possible
Pancakes Sticking to the pan and/ or Burning the pancakes. Burnt pancakes are No Bueno. Are all of your pancakes coming out burnt? Chill out (literally) and calm down on the heat. Turn your dial to medium/ high (350 for an electric griddle). Melt a good amount of butter (or you can use coconut oil for a wonderful flavor). Your pan needs to be moistened with some type of oil in order for your pancakes not to stick to the pan. Skipping this step will leave you very unhappy. Test for readiness with a teaspoon of batter; if it sizzles around the edges and starts to cook immediately, you’re golden to go ahead and pour enough batter for your first pancake.
Flipping too soon. You must remember to be patient on turning your pancakes. Wait for it…when you see bubbles start to form and slowly pop around the edges, you should be good to go with the famous pancake flip. Don’t be shy – the flip must be done with the confidence of a bullfighter facing the bull. He who hesitates is lost, and his pancake will be less than stellar. Ready, set, flip that flapjack!
Flapjack Fails Happen. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, pancake pandemonium happens. Pancakes stick, burn, come out gooey, ugly, tough, tasteless, or just plain disastrous. Anything is possible, even if you play by all the pancake rules. Achieving the perfect, fluffy, flavorful pancake may be more difficult than you think, especially if you are trying a new recipe or something creative, but don’t give up the ship (or in this case, the pan). It takes a certain skill to make a perfect pancake every time, but if you persevere in your quest for the perfect pancake, you and those you cook for will be rewarded with pancake perfection.
During this time of quarantine, due to COVID-19, our doors are shut so the pancake professionals sadly won’t be able to serve you. But this is a great time to practice your own pancake skills and become the master of the pancake. We also enjoy seeing some funny pancake fails so feel free to post your own photos of your abject flapjack failures on our Facebook page!
COVID-19 Public Response
We at The Original Pancake House in Cherry Hills and DTC feel a duty to enact a meaningful public response to the COVID-19 health threat. We are taking the following immediate actions to keep our restaurants as virus-free as possible.
We have always strictly followed all food safety and sanitation standards specified for Arapahoe County by the Tri-County Health department, which closely reflect Federal FDA standards. Now we are redoubling sanitation by adding the following actions:
- Each and every table, chair and booth is sanitized after each dining party, using a specialized anti-viral liquid sanitizing solution
- Glass containers of salt, pepper and sugar are also sanitized after each dining party
- Sugar substitute packets are provided upon request and unused packets disposed
- We have removed our regular menus to eliminate repeat handling, and instead are providing single-use paper menus which will be disposed of after use or may be taken home
- We have removed multi-use check presenters – your ticket will be placed directly on the table
- Multi-use communal children’s toys have been removed
- Complementary self-serve coffee while waiting on weekends has been removed
- Our Community Table will be designated for one large party at a time
- Guest bathrooms are sanitized every 30 minutes
- We have reemphasized to all employees their standing orders not to report for work if they feel ill to any degree, and we now speak to every employee as they arrive to verify they are feeling well
- We also perform a visual handwashing check of every employee as they start their shift, and we alert all employees to wash hands every 30 minutes throughout their shift, in addition to any regular washing their specific duties require
We have always practiced top notch sanitation and food safety procedures, and now we will perform these additional actions as long as government health departments declare COVID-19 a threat in our community. We stay updated with information from the Tri-County Health Department, Colorado Restaurant Association, National Restaurant Association, CDC, and our local news.
We greatly value the trust we have earned from our community over the years and we are committed to this extra effort to help keep customers and employees healthy and safe.
Sincerely, Sara Hueneke Ernst, Owner
The Pancake Taco
What is the Pancake Taco?
Have you heard about the latest breakfast craze? Just when you thought all the breakfast dishes had been done, up pops something unique and new like this. The basic idea is that instead of a tortilla, you use a pancake for the shell and fill it with your favorite breakfast item or items, like bacon, eggs, and cheese.
What makes the Pancake Taco so great?
Everybody loves tacos, and for good reasons! There’s never a wrong time for tacos, and this breakfast version is great for an early morning meal or brunch. Kids LOVE them! Some say the pancake taco is fast becoming the next "avocado toast" when it comes to foodie trends. The great thing about this innovative approach to breakfast is that it’s easy, fast, and fun to make! You can even have pancake tacos for dinner. When it comes to versatility, the pancake taco has it. Filling options are endless, whether you choose to take the savory route or make something sweet.
Types of Pancake Tacos
Need a little help to get started on the road to discovering your favorite pancake taco recipe? Here are five great ideas to get you going:
1. American breakfast tacos (aka Pacos): Pancake shell with bacon, a fried egg, cheese, salt and pepper, and maple syrup.
2. Corn Pancake Breakfast Tacos: Corn Pancake shell with scrambled eggs, avocado, tomato, scallions, roasted corn, cheese, and a hot sauce of your choice.
3. Churros Breakfast Tacos: Pancakes buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, filled with whipped cream and strawberries.
4. Greek Yogurt Banana Pancake Tacos: Gluten-free pancakes for the shell, filled with Greek yogurt, bananas, and sprinkled with cinnamon.
5. Peanut Butter and Honey Pancake Tacos: Pancake tacos shells with peanut butter spread on the inside, topped with sliced bananas and drizzled with honey. You can also add shredded coconut and/ or chia seeds.
These are just some suggestions to get you going…let your imagination take the wheel and you never know where you’ll end up! For your next breakfast outing check out the Original Pancake House in Cherry Hills or the DTC in Colorado. Our menu gives you plenty of options to choose from so you're sure to find something you like. Save your spot in line by using our Yelp waitlist so you can be seated right away when you arrive! We look forward to seeing you soon!