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Chez Ma Tante's pancakes

https://fannyzanotti.com/chez-ma-tantes-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.
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.

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.