Traditional Pancake Recipe - MP South Africa

If you want to learn cooking with an easy start, making traditional pancakes is a great choice.

In this guide, I’m going to walk you through a simple pancake recipe that’s foolproof.

I know cooking can seem tough if you’re new to it, but trust me, this recipe is straightforward and hard to mess up.

I’ll break down each step, from what ingredients you need to how to cook them just right.

You’ll learn how to mix a smooth batter, the trick to flipping pancakes perfectly, and how to serve them with a tasty twist.

Ingredients:

Before we dive into the mixing and flipping, let’s ensure we have all the necessary ingredients.

This recipe makes about 8-10 pancakes, ideal for serving 4 people.

Flour: 250 ml (1 cup) of cake flour. In South Africa, cake flour is commonly used for its fine texture, which results in a smoother batter.
Milk: 500 ml (2 cups). Full cream milk is preferred for its rich flavour, but you can use low-fat if you’re watching calories.
Eggs: 2 large. Ensure they’re at room temperature for a more uniform batter.
Water: 125 ml (½ cup). This helps to thin out the batter slightly for the perfect consistency.
Oil: For frying. Sunflower or canola oil is ideal due to its neutral taste.
Salt: A pinch, to enhance the flavours.
Cinnamon Sugar: Mix 200 grams (1 cup) of sugar with 10 ml (2 teaspoons) of ground cinnamon for sprinkling on your cooked pancakes.

Having the right tools can make the pancake-making process much smoother. Here’s what you’ll need:

Sift the Flour: Start by sifting the cake flour and a pinch of salt into your mixing bowl. Sifting aerates the flour, resulting in lighter pancakes.
Add the Eggs: Make a well in the centre of the flour and crack in the eggs.
Mix While Adding Milk: Gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously to combine the eggs, flour, and milk. This is crucial to avoid lumps.
Rest the Batter: Let the batter sit for about 20-30 minutes. This allows the gluten in the flour to relax, leading to tender pancakes.

Heat the Pan: Place your pan over medium heat and add a small amount of oil, just enough to coat the bottom.
Test the Heat: Sprinkle a few drops of water on the pan. If they dance around before evaporating, the pan is ready.
Pour the Batter: Use the ladle or pouring jug to pour enough batter into the pan, swirling it around to evenly coat the bottom.
Cook Until Bubbly: Wait until the top of the pancake starts to bubble and the edges begin to lift slightly.
Flip with Confidence: Use the spatula to flip the pancake gently. The second side cooks faster, so keep an eye on it.

Cinnamon Sugar Sprinkle: Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Sprinkle generously over each pancake as soon as it comes off the pan.
Roll or Fold: Traditionally, South African pancakes are either rolled up or folded into quarters.
Serve Warm: Pancakes are best enjoyed warm, perhaps with a drizzle of fresh lemon juice for an extra zing.

No Rushing: Don’t rush the cooking process. A medium heat allows the pancakes to cook through without burning.
First Pancake Syndrome: The first pancake often acts as a ‘test’ and might not be perfect. Use it to adjust your batter consistency or pan heat.
Batter Consistency: If your batter is too thick, thin it out with a little more milk. Too thin? Add a bit more flour.

Congratulations on cooking a delicious traditional South African pancakes!

This simple yet delightful dish is a testament to the joy of cooking, even for beginners.

Each pancake you make brings you one step closer to mastering the art of pancake making.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor with friends and family, and take pride in having learned a new skill!