Why arent my pancakes browning correctly?
I am using a cast iron pan and all of my pancakes are coming out like this. I leave them on and they get crispy on the outside and cook through but they do not brown. I tried turning the heat up and that just burns them in splotches. Then I tried a lower heat and they turn golden in weird uneven patterns but they still cook through. Ive tried different oils, no oils, reheating my pan, waiting longer before flipping (which causes the pancake to have poppled bubbles and dark spots instead of a smooth surface). And when I flip them, the second side gets sort of a film on it when I take it out of the pan, the outer layer separates from the rest (it kind of looks like saltine crackers lol) this is really frustrating. any tips?
Best Answer
You seem to be doing everything alright with the heat and pan. This sounds like a problem with the recipe.
Add more milk (or yogurt, or whatever dairy you are using) - you need lactose for browning, so soy milk or enzymatically treated cow milk won't work. Also consider replacing part of the sugar with fructose, HFCS or glucose syrup, they brown somewhat better. Third, make sure they are not too sour. If this is a baking powder recipe, consider using only milk instead of any buttermilk or yogurt. If it is a baking soda recipe, add some more baking soda. If nothing else helps, you can even add a pinch of baking soda to a baking powder recipe, not for leavening but just for browning.
The "makes a film and separates" part could disappear after changing the dairy and/or leavener. If it doesn't, make sure you are only lifting at the proper moment. The pancake will stick first, then become releasy, then burn. If it still sticks during the releasy part, reduce the heat (you should still get enough browning after the measures in the last paragraph). If that does not work either, the last step is to increase the egg.
An alternative would be to find a better working recipe and follow it instead of adjusting yours. You might have to test a few until you find a winner.
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Why do my pancakes not brown evenly?
This sounds like a problem with the recipe. Add more milk (or yogurt, or whatever dairy you are using) - you need lactose for browning, so soy milk or enzymatically treated cow milk won't work. Also consider replacing part of the sugar with fructose, HFCS or glucose syrup, they brown somewhat better.How do you get browning on pancakes?
For spot-free pancakes from the get-go, start by applying oil to an unheated pan or griddle. Allow the oil to heat up over medium heat for at least one minute, then use a paper towel to wipe away all but a thin, barely visible layer to prevent sticking.Why are my pancakes white and not brown?
There are multiple reasons why your pancakes will turn out white. These include your pan not being at the right temperature when you pour the pancake mixture in, not adding enough sugar or milk to the mixture, and your baking soda is too old, just to name a few of the possible reasons.How do you get evenly golden pancakes?
To prevent pooling, which can make for unevenly cooked pancakes, Stephanie Le of iamafoodblog.com suggests brushing a thin layer of oil or melted butter on the pan with a pastry brush. This prevents uneven spreading, which will give you golden-brown pancakes with no gooey pockets.When to Flip Pancakes - Perfect Pancakes Every Time!
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Answer 2
I had the same problem! I originally used almond milk, an egg, flour, baking POWDER, butter and sugar. My pancakes looked more like tortillas. Lol. I fixed it by adding a few things to the batter. I added baking Soda, and more sugar. Baking soda changed ph to add browning, and sugar adds browning from carmelizing. The first pancakes looked just like yours, and after I modified the batter, they look like this.
Answer 3
Is it possible your recipe has buttermilk but no baking soda or not enough?
Summarized from J. Kenji Alt Lopez's Buttermilk Pancakes in The Food Lab pgs 143-144:
Baking soda affects browning in a major way because it affects the pH of the batter. The Maillard reaction occurs better in alkaline environments, so that after enough baking soda has been added to a batter to neutralize the acid (from buttermilk) any additional will work to increase browning.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Sydney Troxell, Monstera, alleksana, EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA