Classic Pancakes with Butter and Maple Syrup

Serves 2

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder (or ½ teaspoon baking soda if you’re going to use buttermilk)

2 large eggs

2 cups milk (or buttermilk)

1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for serving Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting Maple syrup and/or jam, for serving

1. Mix the flour, salt, granulated sugar and baking powder in a medium bowl. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl with 1½ cups of milk (or read the Glamor Girl tip on page 37 to learn how to make the pancakes even more fluffy by separating white and egg yolk). Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until it combines. Do not mix too much or the pancakes are hard – just mix them to make the flour moist, even if the mixture stays a bit lumpy. You can add up to ½ cup more normal milk (no buttermilk) to dilute the dough as needed.
2. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to calm down.
3. Heat a large pan with non-stick coating or a lightly oiled cast iron skillet over a low heat. Melt ½ tablespoon of butter in the middle of the pan, where you spoon the dough (optional).
4. Put about ¼ cup of dough into the hot pan directly onto the melted butter. Your pancake should be about the size of a hockey puck.
5. Boil the pancake until the bottom is golden brown and begin to break the bubbles on the surface after about 2 minutes. Turn the pancake over quickly with a spatula. (“Have the courage for your beliefs!”, As Julia Child said.) Boil until golden brown, about 1 minute longer.
6. Transfer the finished pancake to a plate, cover it with foil and keep it warm on the stove while cooking the rest of the dough. Put more finished pancakes on the plate, cover and keep warm.
7. Serve the pancakes dusted with icing sugar. Spread butter, syrup and / or marmalade around the table.