Pâtisserie / Recipe

Chez Ma Tante’s pancakes

I’ve always been fascinated by fluffy American-style pancakes, perhaps because I didn’t grow up on them. In my childhood, pancakes, crêpes, really, were thin and delicate, the kind you’d fold into four with sugar and lemon or jam from my grand-mère’s wooden cabinet in the garage. The golden, towering stacks always felt like something from a storybook – indulgent, almost impossibly decadent.

I already have two favourite recipes. One is a buttermilk classic by the great Marion Cunningham, who knew her way around the simplicity of breakfast like no one else. Her recipe reads like a letter from a friend, gently nudging you towards the joy of the everyday. The other is a five-minute wonder, a batter I can whisk together with my eyes closed on mornings when hunger wins over patience.

And yet, when I stumbled upon Chez Ma Tante’s recipe one morning, I couldn’t resist. It felt like an invitation to try something new. The batter is looser than both of my regular recipes, and the results are ever so wonderful: a light and airy crumb with edges that cook to crisp, caramelised perfection.

The original recipe calls for a full cup of clarified butter for cooking, but I couldn’t quite commit. A couple of tablespoons did the trick, yielding pancakes that were delicate yet indulgent. I had mine plain, marvelling at the texture and buttery caramelisation, but I can only imagine how they’d taste with a drizzle of maple syrup and a pat of butter melting into every crevice.

Chez Ma Tante's pancakes

Adapted from the New York Times.
This is a recipe that doesn’t ask much but rewards you with pancakes that feel a little extraordinary. Perhaps it won’t replace my tried-and-true favourites, but it’s found its place - for mornings when I want pancakes that are both simple and a little special.
The method is straightforward but with its own charm: sugar, salt, and a surprising 2 ½ tablespoons of baking powder whisked directly into an egg and yolk, before alternating in the milk and flour, finishing with melted butter.
Serve them plain or with maple syrup and a pat of butter, and you’ll understand why this recipe deserves a spot in your morning repertoire.

Notes

On butter and cooking the pancakes:
Chef Jake Leiber cooks his pancakes in a whole cup of clarified butter, but I prefer a simpler approach. I slice a generous piece of salted butter and stick it to the tines of a fork, using it to butter my cast-iron pan as I go. The butter browns gently, leaving the edges dark, crisp, and delightfully salty.
On cast-iron:
When it comes to pancakes, I always reach for my cast iron pan. Preheated over medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes to ensure an even surface, then lowered to medium-low for cooking, it produces pancakes with a light and airy crumb and caramelised edges that crackle under the fork.
Author: Fanny Zanotti
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Makes 6 large pancakes

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 ½ tablespoons 35 g baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons 25 g caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon 5 g flaky sea salt
  • 300 ml whole milk
  • 130 g plain flour
  • 30 g salted butter melted
  • 60 g cold salted butter for cooking

Instructions

  • Pre-heat your cast-iron pan on medium-high heat for at least 5 minutes, then reduce to medium-low.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
  • Gradually add the the milk and flour in alternating turns, whisking gently until a lumpy batter forms - do not overmix the batter. Finally, whisk in the 30g of melted butter.
  • Stick the cold butter to the tines of a fork and use it to butter you pan - it should start foaming and sizzling. Pour about 100 ml of batter for each pancake, letting it spread naturally.
  • Cook for about 1 1/2-2 minutes, or until golden brown with crisp edges, then flip and cook for another 1 minute or so on the other side.
  • Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the pan as needed. Serve warm with extra butter and maple syrup.

2 Comments

  • Pete
    January 27, 2025 at 7:39 PM

    Fanny, these were literally inedible due to the amount of baking powder. I had to throw them away. Reading the comments below the NYT article, I’m not the only one; but I’m amazed at the number of positive comments for this recipe. Go figure.

    Reply
    • Fanny
      January 28, 2025 at 11:40 AM

      I’m so sorry they didn’t turn out as expected! When I first read the recipe, I thought the amount of baking powder must be a typo too, but I trusted the process and ended up loving the pancakes. Perhaps the type of baking powder made a difference – single-action or baking soda could create an overpowering flavour.

      If you give these a go again, try reducing the baking powder slightly – it might make all the difference!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Recipe Rating