How to choose the perfect pancake pan
Maslenitsa is approaching, and with it the pancake marathon. Even if you don’t plan to fry pancakes every day of the butter week, you’ll probably still treat yourself and your loved ones to them on the weekend. It’s hard to resist, don’t you agree?
Perfect pancakes have two important components – the dough and the pan. Let’s talk in detail about the second one. If you fry pancakes at least once every month or two, you should get a separate frying pan. This is not as important as separate cutting boards for meat or fish, for example, but you will definitely notice the difference during use.
So, when going to the store for a new frying pan, it is important to understand what to look for.
Size
Small pancakes are convenient to serve with sour cream or jam, but filling them with filling can be problematic. In addition, frying small pancakes will take a lot of time. Large pancakes, on the contrary, are faster to fry, but if you fill them with filling there is a chance of getting huge portions that do not always look aesthetically pleasing on the table. Therefore, it is best to pay attention to medium-sized frying pans – about 24 cm.
Height
The depth of the pan and the height of the sides are perhaps one of the most important nuances. The principle here is that the lower, the better. Small sides make it possible to better distribute the dough not only by rotating the pan, but also by using a special distributor or a dough stick.
Thickness
Some frying pans, labeled by manufacturers as pancake pans, have a very thin bottom. Yes, they are light and comfortable to hold in your hand, but they also heat up very quickly. The first pancakes will be perfect, but after 5 minutes the pan will overheat and the pancakes may simply burn instantly. Another disadvantage of a thin pan is that it cools quickly. As soon as you remove it from the heat to pour in a new portion of dough, the temperature will begin to drop rapidly. Such changes can be disastrous.
In this case, a frying pan that is too thick is also not needed, so it’s better to stay at a medium one – 2-4 mm.
Pen
In the process of frying pancakes, every minute you grab the handle of the frying pan to pour the dough, distribute it, and remove the finished pancake. That is why a pancake frying pan should not only have a comfortable handle, but also a heat-resistant one that does not heat up even after an hour on the stove.
Material
As for the material, it all depends on your preferences. Cast iron is a great option for a frying pan. It heats up evenly, maintains temperature for a long time, and is not prone to scratches or sticking. But at the same time, cast iron frying pans are very heavy, which in the case of pancakes can be quite significant, given that you often need to hold the frying pan suspended with one hand. Aluminum is a lighter material, but it has its own nuances. In order for the pancakes to come off well, and even the first one not to be lumpy, it is important to choose a good coating. Inexpensive non-stick frying pans can quickly stop pleasing you with the results. Scratches appear on them, and the dough immediately begins to stick. Ceramic coating will last longer, but it requires special care, as it is susceptible to temperature changes and can crack. More expensive models may have a mineral and titanium coating, which is more resistant to both scratches and temperature changes.
Important: when you have chosen a frying pan that is suitable in size, height, thickness and price, be sure to take it in your hand and rotate it for several minutes. Unlike others, a pancake pan should fit perfectly in your hand.
After cooking the pancakes, take care of the pan. Wash according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, dry and store. If possible, do not use the pan for cooking other foods. A high-quality frying pan with proper care will serve you for many years and delight you with perfect pancakes every time.
Many cool pancake recipes are already waiting for you in our section of the site!
Let’s celebrate Maslenitsa together!