Take Five Pancakes

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Time Out | The Dave Brubeck Quartet

I named these “Take Five Pancakes” after the immensely popular hit track “Take Five” from Time Out because everybody wants to eat at least five. After attempting more variations of pancakes than anything else, this is the result. The sourness of buttermilk is often too overpowering for me in pancakes, so I set out to create a similar effect without the buttermilk. The blend of white and whole wheat flour plus the presence of whole milk yogurt makes the texture hearty yet fluffy. The edges have a touch of crispness, and the pancakes rise at least a full centimeter off the griddle. They are marvelous.

The batter is best the day it’s made, but keeps for 1-2 days in the fridge. Flavor in pancakes comes from the type of fat in the batter, so the specific yogurt and margarine or butter are critical. I list the brands I use and suggest testing a variety.

Pancake ready to be flipped

This pancake’s edges are starting to look dry and well-formed, which is a good indicator that it’s ready to be flipped. I’m cooking it on a non-stick electric griddle, which is my recommendation for how to cook these pancakes (more on that in the equipment recommendation below).

Pancake ready to be flipped. The edges are starting to look dry and well-formed.
Flipped pancake

This pancake has been flipped and is cooking.

Pancake cooking on a nonstick electric griddle.
Finished pancake

Look at that perfect golden-brown color!

Genuine Dad-approved equipment recommendation: Electric griddle

Hello, dads and dad-adjacents. Here’s a Genuine Dad Equipment Recommendation* for your kitchen. A nonstick electric griddle is fantastic for precisely controlling heat, easy cleanup, and making foods that feed a family in a flash. It’s also relatively energy-efficient. We use our electric griddle for pancakes, grilled sandwiches (grilled cheese, grilled PB&J, avocado melts…), quesadillas, and more. Use with a silicone spatula, clean gently, and they last for 10+ years in my experience. In our kitchen, we use the Presto Electric Griddle (Amazon link). This griddle is superb because of the plastic guard around the edge which is not heated, allowing for a safe edge to grab onto so that the griddle can be held steady while flipping pancakes or sandwiches. Plus as of writing it’s available for $32 which is a steal for such a versatile kitchen gadget that we use several times per week. I can also attest to Presto’s customer service. I once had a griddle fail under warranty and they replaced it with an easy process that was much faster than anticipated.

*Genuine Dad Equipment Recommendations are real, tested recommendations for equipment I’ve used for years in my kitchen. These recommendations are exclusive to Dads Jazz Cookbook. I only recommend products that I have personally found to be durable, high-utility, and nearly essential for my cooking.

Album Pairing: Time Out | The Dave Brubeck Quartet

🎵 Listen to the album while you cook or eat 🎵

Take Five Pancakes

The blend of white and whole wheat flour plus the presence of whole milk yogurt makes the texture of these pancakes hearty yet fluffy. The edges have a touch of crispness, and they rise at least a full centimeter off the griddle. They are marvelous. The batter is best the day it’s made, but keeps for 1-2 days in the fridge.
Ready in 20 minutes
Servings 12 pancakes

Ingredients  

  • 3 Tbsp Smart Balance butter or margarine can also work, but Smart Balance has the perfect flavor
  • 1 C unbleached white flour
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • ¼ C sugar
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 C plain yogurt full fat and not Greek. I use Mountain High, which is 3.7% fat
  • 1 C skim milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Melt 3 Tbsp Smart Balance (suggest on medium power in the microwave, covered) and allow to cool to room temperature.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: 1 C flour, 1 C whole wheat flour, ¼ C sugar, 2 ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: 1 C plain yogurt, 1 C skim milk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla.
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Batter will be lumpy. Do not over-mix.
  5. Add the melted Smart Balance to the batter and whisk until smooth.
  6. Let batter rest while heating an electric griddle to 350° F.
  7. When the griddle is at temperature, cook pancakes by dropping 2-3 large spoonfuls of batter onto the griddle.
  8. Flip pancakes when edges start to look cooked and the griddle-side is golden-brown. Any bubbles may not yet have popped when the pancakes should be flipped (batter may or may not bubble at all). Cook for another 2-3 minutes after flipping and serve immediately.

Notes

Pancakes are great topped with warm homemade applesauce (page 87) and cinnamon. Maple syrup and fresh fruit are always good, too. Adding chocolate chips is a classic and shredded coconut also pairs well with chocolate. Drop in chocolate chips and coconut immediately after batter hits the griddle. For pancakes with chocolate chips, enjoy with syrup, butter, or blackberry jam.
Album pairing: Time Out | The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Keywords easy pancakes, fluffy pancake recipe, healthy pancakes, jazz brunch, kid friendly breakfast, quick weekend breakfast, whole wheat pancakes

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