Description
It all comes down to separating the eggs. Instead of adding whole eggs to the pancake batter, as most other pancake recipes call for, this recipe involves beating the separate egg whites into fluffy, white clouds and carefully folding them into the batter—producing extraordinarily light, soufflé-like pancakes.
Ingredients
- 1-¼ cup All-purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoons Sea Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 pinch Ground Ginger
- 1 pinch Ground Cloves
- 1 cup Skim/1% Milk
- ¾ cups Canned Pumpkin Puree
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
- 4 whole Eggs, Yolks And Whites Separated, Room Temperature Is Ideal
- Butter, For Your Skillet (only A Pat Or Two Or As Desired)
Preparation
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spices. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, melted butter and egg yolks (place egg whites into a separate bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer bowl).
Add pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, folding with a spatula gently, until just combined. Set aside.
Meanwhile, using a hand-mixer or stand mixer (with whisk attachment), whisk egg whites over low speed until foamy. Increase speed to medium-high and whisk until egg whites are stiff (peaks will hold) but still wet. Note: Although it is not essential that the egg whites be room temperature when you start this step, it will make the process easier and much more effective.
Gently fold egg whites, in two separate additions, into the pumpkin batter.
Heat a tab of butter in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the butter begins to sizzle, add batter to pan in your preferred size of scoop (you can always a test coin-sized pancake to check whether the pan is ready). I recommend that you make the pancakes about 4 inches in diameter. Fit as many scoops as you can onto the pan but you’ll probably want/need to do this in batches.
Once bubbles begin to form on the top of the pancakes, flip carefully and continue to cook on other side until brown. This step is easier if you keep pancakes no larger than 4 inches in diameter. Adjust heat if necessary. Remove the cooked pancakes to a plate and finish with the rest of the batter.
Top with butter and warm maple syrup. Enjoy!
Adapted heavily from Bon Appetit, November 2000.
