Hotcakes, Pikelets, and Scotch Pancakes 2

Growing up in New Zealand I discovered the joys of Pikelets – small, thick pancakes we used to eat with butter and honey for afternoon tea. Later I discovered Hotcakes, which are served up for breakfast in the US with butter and maple syrup. Much later still, when I started making my own Hotcakes and Pikelets, I discovered they were basically the same thing. I also discovered the Scottish have their own version in Scotch Pancakes.

Hotcakes, Pikelets, and Scotch Pancakes

Steven Thomas

Whether you call them Hotcakes, Pikelets or Scotch Pancakes they are small, thick pancakes. And delicious with your choice of butter and honey, maple syrup, or whatever.

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Ingredients

  

• 1 cup plain white flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 - 4 tablespoons white sugar more for Pikelets and less for Hotcakes
• 1 large egg or 2 smaller eggs
• 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 1/2 - 1 cup milk vary amount to change consistency, but remember this is meant to be a "thick" mixture
• [Optional] 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• [Optional] 1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• [Optional] Raisins or blue berries
• Extra oil or melted butter for cooking

Instructions

 

• Sift flour and salt together in a large bowl.
• Add sugar to flour. Mix.
• Lightly beat egg in another bowl.
• Add butter, milk, lemon zest and vanilla to beaten egg
• Add liquids to dry ingredients all at once.
• Whisk, stir or beat until smooth.
• Stand for at least 30 min in the fridge or preferably overnight.
• Sift baking powder over batter. Mix in thoroughly.
• (If you're not going to let the mixture stand then shift the baking powder in with the flour.)
• Add optional fruit
• Cook hotcakes on a large griddle or frying pan. Heat until dropped water bounces, sputters, and disappears.
• I normally use 1/4 Cup of mixture per Hotcake. Use 1/2 Cup for larger ones and 1 tablespoon for tiny ones. Pour the batter from just above the pan.
• Cook for 2-3 min on the first side. Turn over when bubbles appear but before they break (or when they just start to burst).
• Cook the second side for 1 min - it won't brown as well as the first side.
• Keep hotcakes warm by placing inside a folded tea towel or paper towel.
• Repeat with remaining batter, lightly greasing between batches if necessary.

How big is your Hotcake, Pikelet or Scotch Pancake?

Size does matter – although the mixture is basically the same different nationalities prefer different sizes of pancake.