Why it works: Milk and bread are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 11,466 recipes. Both carry 2-undecenal, which smells sweet. The science ↓
Roly-Poly Pancakes
Ingredients
Directions
Make the batter
Sift the flour and salt together.
Do not use skim milk prepared from a dry mix.
Whole or 2% milk work just fine; however, if you use whole milk, you will need to add one to two additional tablespoons to the amount specified for the skim milk.
If you double the recipe, you can use 1 whole large size egg.
Beat the egg and then add to the milk.
Stir slowly a couple times with a spoon; however, do not try to mix well.
Add the flour mixture to a bowl and then add 1/2 of the milk mixture.
Mix well with a wire whisk.
Add 1/3 at a time of the remaining milk mixture, mixing well each time before adding the additional milk.
Run through a wire sieve if necessary to eliminate lumps.
Pour the batter into a sealable pitcher or 4-cornered sealable plastic container.
Heat the pan
A large heavy skillet with a low edge and a nonstick surface is best.
Preheat for around 8 minutes over the largest burner if you have an electric stove.
Preheat at the same setting that you will be cooking the pancakes at.
A heat setting of 6 out of 9 works on some stoves.
A pancake should be finished in 1 minute 35 seconds.
Increase or decrease the heat setting as needed to obtain this ideal time.
Cook the pancakes
Pour the pancake batter to 2/3 to 3/4 of the desired finished size of the pancake.
Pick up the pan immediately after pouring the batter and tilt it so that the batter spreads and flows to the full intended size.
If the batter is fairly thick, do not be afraid to tilt the pan almost vertically, if needed, to get the batter to spread out quickly.
Immediately tilt the pan in the opposite direction that you just tilted it, to even out the depth of the batter.
You will probably need to tilt the pan in several different directions to even out the shape and depth of the pancake.
The first side of the pancake should be fried for about 50 to 55 seconds before flipping.
The second side, after it has been fried, will have a very different appearance than the first side.
A sign of a batter that is thin enough and has been spread out well by tilting the pan is that you may see the edge of the pancake loosen and rise up in several spots to create ruffles as the end of the frying time is neared.
Store and serve
Refrigerating leftover batter for one to 5 days in a sealable plastic container works well.
Batter made with fresh lactose free milk stores longer.
Before using the refrigerated batter, stir slowly and thoroughly to loosen any settled flour in the bottom and in the corners of the container with a spoon.
If using syrup as a topping, the pancake can be folded twice.
For a nutty version, try spreading margarine and then honey over the entire pancake.
Then add finely chopped pecans or English walnuts on 1/2 of the pancake before making the first fold.
Rose's Lime Fine Cut Marmalade is my favorite spread.
A thin layer of warmed and softened Philadelphia cream cheese alone or with an additional thin layer of jelly or jam over the top makes a great topping.
Cream cheese and raspberry jam are a good combination.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Milk + breadtop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,466 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-undecenal (sweet).
-
Egg + breadtop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together22,662 recipes
Shared aroma: (e)-2-octenal (fatty, green).
-
Milk + flourtop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together78,219 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Egg + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Milk + eggtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Milk and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 78,219 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Unbleached bread flour
- Provides the structure that holds the thin pancake together as it sets.
- Egg
- Adds structure and helps bind the batter so the pancake holds together.
- Skim milk
- Supplies the liquid that hydrates the flour and sets the batter's thinness.
The step that matters
Tilting the pan right after pouring the batter. The batter sets quickly in a hot pan, so it must be spread to full size and even depth at once. Waiting lets it thicken unevenly, leaving thick centers and thin edges that cook at different rates.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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