Crispy edges, fluffy center

banana pancakes

I know I know I said this once earlier that I have made my very best pancakes last year, and it was true. And recently I made these banana pancakes, following every essential pancake rule I've learned, and I beat my own record. I call these now my best pancakes. Obviously these are just ‘my’ best pancakes, from all the ones I’ve eaten and made. I have not been to nyc yet and haven’t had proper American diner pancakes, but from what I’ve seen I wanna believe that I might be close to what proper American pancakes really are and mean.

It’s not an everyday pancake recipe, not sure if anyone at all wants to eat pancakes everyday for real, but it is a very very solid one. For when you’ve got ripe bananas, lots of butter and time. It’s usually Sunday, to me, ironically, but it is true. someone who decided pancakes are eaten on Sundays knew something about life.

Right, no more talking, let’s make em.

makes about 7-8 nice sized pancakes

• 2 dead ripe bananas

• 1 egg

• 100ml milk

• 2 tbsp sourdough starter/discard (optional, can be swapped with additional egg or with extra 20ml milk + 20g flour)

• 1 tbsp yogurt or sour cream

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 150g flour

• 1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Some salt

First we mix the wet

I always start by blending all the wet with an immersion blender until it’s smooth and everything is combined well. However, you can always mash banana first and then add the rest of the wet one by one and mix together with a whisk.

Let me break you through a few ingredients that are key here.

Apple cider vinegar. It reacts with the baking soda and sour cream or yogurt to create lift and airiness. They produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas creates bubbles in the batter, which makes the pancakes rise and become fluffy, which is why dairy is quite important. The reaction starts as soon as the wet and dry meet. This is why we mix wet and dry separately, then combine and do not overmix. We want to trap those bubbles in the batter.

Bananas are not essential but they made these pancakes just their best version. Ripe bananas not only add sweetness but some moisture too, that eventually contributes to their final softness.

Now the dry

Separately, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Now important step. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Using the same whisk, or spatula, fold gently, and I mean gently, until just! combined. Pancakes should never be overmixed, and should always have imperfect lumps to be perfect. Write this down.

Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes while you heat your pan. This allows the flour to hydrate and the leavening agents to activate. You’ll see the batter puff up slightly and become airier. Heat your pan to medium high, I love frying my pancakes on cardon steel, or stainless steal, or cast iron for the best crispy edges. These retain heat well and really create the best crust and give the char that I love so much. Nonstick won't give you the char and crunch we're after. Fry in the mix of butter and non burn oil (coconut, veg, not olive oil, it burns too). Lower the heat to medium. If you keep it on high, the outside will burn before the inside cooks. Medium heat gives you time to develop that golden crust while the center cooks through. Scoop a generous amount of batter per pancake and don't spread it out much, let it settle naturally into a thick round. You don’t want to disrupt the edges as soon they touched the pan, this is how we achieve distinct crispy edges, so be quick when spooning. Cook until you see just a few bubbles forming and the top is still glossy. Don’t wait until all the bubbles appear on the surface, we want to keep the texture soft and fluffy, so flip when the bottom is nicely toasted. Cook the second side for another 1-2 minutes until golden.

Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a low oven, around 100°C, while you finish the batch. Add a bit more butter and oil to the pan between batches as needed.

The code to the fluffiest and at the same time crispiest banana pancakes is cracked, for me at least.

I love these simply with some salted French butter melting into them, and a good drizzle of maple syrup. They’re so good they barely need anything.

The edges shatter when you cut into them, the center is pillowy, what else can I ask for on a Sunday morning.

I made them again this morning, because I felt like it. And I particularly love them with some salted butter and egg or scramble. This is a perfect pancake spread right here. It’s everything you want for brunch or lunch or dinner, I don’t really care.