Tim Hogeboom contributed this recipe. Tim and my dad are old hiking and canoeing buddies. When camping and cooking over a wood fire, Tim would make enough of these pancakes to "feed three to four people...fewer if they've been hiking for two months!"
Tim says the jury's still out on whether he and his wife will be lucky enough to have grandchildren. If not, he'll create fictional grandchildren that will call him Grandpa.
Grandpa's pancakes are remarkably fluffy because he whips the egg whites before incorporating them into the batter. Even when I don't have the batter flavoring ingredients of banana, oatmeal, and applesauce, the texture and flavor of these pancakes still beat those of a box mix!
1 1/4 cups (173 g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (454 g) milk
1/4 cup (57 g) plain yogurt
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon (13 g) canola oil (and more for cooking)
(60 g) half of 1 banana
1/4 cup (26 g) rolled oats
2-3 Tablespoons (30-45 g) unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
toppings of choice
Serves 3-4
In a large bowl, mix:
(60 g) half of 1 banana, mashed
1/4 cup (26 g) rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 Tablespoons (30-45 g) unsweetened applesauce
1 Tablespoon (13 g) canola oil
2 cups (454 g) milk
1/4 cup (57 g) plain yogurt
Separate:
3 eggs
Set the egg whites aside for later, and thoroughly mix the 3 egg yolks into the milk mixture. Then, stir in:
1 1/4 cups (173 g) all-purpose flour
[adjust the viscosity by adding flour or milk, so that the batter is pourable but not runny. If your pancake batter is too thin, start by adding a 1/4 cup (36 grams) more flour. For waffles, add a scant 1/2 cup (60 grams) more flour]
Thoroughly clean your egg white mixing bowl. If it has any oil residue, the egg whites will not whip.
With an electric beater, whip the egg whites until nearly stiff, and gently fold about 75% of the egg white foam into the batter. After cooking approximately 2/3 of the batter, fold in the remaining egg white foam. This ensures that the last pancakes will be as fluffy as the first!
COOKING
Heat an oiled frying pan over medium-high heat (not quite smoking). Ladle the batter into the pan, leaving enough room around each pancake for easy flipping. Flip when both the underside is golden brown and the top uncooked side is dotted with craters. Adjust the heat, if necessary, so that these visual cues occur simultaneously.
Whenever the pan looks dry, coat it with canola oil to prevent the pancakes from sticking and burning.
ASSEMBLY
Serve the pancakes right away, or keep them warm on a plate under a tea towel. Top the pancakes with any or all of the following refined-sugar-free toppings.
Butter (I prefer salted butter spread between each pancake)
Homemade whipped cream
Maple syrup
Unsweetened apple sauce
Banana slices
Walnuts
Berry compote: Heat frozen blueberries and strawberries with a little butter in a saucepan for 10-15 minutes over low heat.
Recently, I tried adding a tablespoon of fresh turmeric + 1/2 cup walnuts (pulsed together in a food processor) to the liquid ingredients. The result was yummy waffles with a delicious and subtle kick.
That's a great and unexpected idea, Tim. I'll try it out and make sure not to use a tablespoon of ground turmeric, haha! Thanks for writing.