Buttermilk in pancakes?
What is the difference between buttermilk and regular pancakes? Does it add a special texture or flavoring? Just something I've always wondered.
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9 Comments:
I've never found a noticeable flavor diference, but then I don't eat pancakes au naturel, but add fruit and/or syrup. I do think that buttermilk or other acid ingredients like yogurt do tend to make a more tender 'cake, though. I'm sure Shirley Corriher (author, "Cookwise" and "Bakewise", food scientist) would be more specific but I'm not at a point where I can go check the reference.
lemons at 9:49AM on 03/02/09
Buttermilk makes them light and airy. I also find that the pan needs to be a little cooler with buttermilk than with regular milk. My household is a big fan of buttermilk in pancakes and waffles.
LearP at 9:57AM on 03/02/09
It acts tang and a very marked texture to the pancake. If your pancakes do not have the tang or the texture change you have not added enough.
That is why all the boxes of pancake mix coin the term "buttermilk pancakes" because its the schizznitz of pancakes. Come on now people get some tang.
JerzeeTomato at 11:33AM on 03/02/09
Yeah I can definitely tell a flavor difference with the tang of the buttermilk, and it's pretty delicious. I think it probably affects texture as well, making them a little fluffier.
Laurel E at 11:44AM on 03/02/09
Buttermilk does add alot to regular pancakes, but you'll need to make sure you change your baking powder/baking soda amounts if switching from regular milk to buttermilk in a recipe that does not call for buttermilk.
Here's a link to the differences.
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/foodchemistry/f/blbaking.htm
smokey07 at 12:07PM on 03/02/09
See thats why I drag my butt outta bed in the morning, to learn something new everyday....Thanks smokey07
Markbb at 2:37PM on 03/02/09
I have found that if you are lacking buttermilk, adding a squeeze of lemon to regular batter acts in much the same way. But buttermilk is wonderful in the batter. Buttermilk makes bitter batter better!
juliebugsmama at 3:03PM on 03/02/09
About 3 months ago, I made up a big batch of Alton Brown's pancake mix, which is available on foodtv.com, and it includes buttermilk in the recipe. Now, anytime my son is in town, I have to cook buttermilk pancakes for breakfast. I'm not a big fan of any pancakes, but these are very good, and the buttermilk adds greatly to the flavor as noted by other bloggers
dmcavanagh at 3:45PM on 03/02/09
I was in fact thinking of making a single batch of AB's Pancake Mix tonight to have with some sausages for dinner. (I was actually in the mood for pancakes before I saw that Good Eats just recently.)
clemon79 at 4:26PM on 03/02/09