Here Are 18 Pancake Recipes From All Over The World (2024)

FAQs

What are some regional variations of pancakes from around the world? ›

The first pancakes can be traced back to the primeval stages of mankind, when cavemen created flat grain-based cakes that were cooked on hot rocks. In sixth century Greece, a dish called “taginite,” made from wheat flour, honey olive oil and curdled milk, became an extremely popular breakfast food.

Making pancake and waffle batter ahead of time is a huge no-no and will lead to flat, dense results every time. Even letting your batter hang out for just a few minutes after you've mixed it before you start ladling it onto the griddle will lead to less fluffy results.

The first written records of pancakes come from the ancient Greeks and Romans.

History. The Ancient Greeks made pancakes called τηγανίτης (tēganitēs), ταγηνίτης (tagēnitēs) or ταγηνίας (tagēnias), all words deriving from τάγηνον (tagēnon), "frying pan". The earliest attested references to tagenias are in the works of the 5th-century BC poets Cratinus and Magnes.

believe that people enjoyed pancakes as far back as 30,000 years ago during the Stone Age. In fact, researchers found pancakes in the stomach of Ötzi the Iceman, famous human remains that date back more than 5,000 years!

Legend says that it all started when a woman heard the shriving bell calling people to church on Shrove Tuesday while she was making pancakes – and she ran to the church still in her apron with her frying pan! We don't know whether this story is true, but we think that the first races happened in about 1445.

Adding baking powder is the easiest way to make fluffy pancakes. There's more than one way to make the bubbles that make a pancake fluffy, but the easiest way is by adding a raising agent such as baking powder.

Eggs are a crucial ingredient. They provide the cakes with the structure to hold light bubbles. Eggs also give the batter additional, richer flavor from the yolk fat. If you add too many eggs, you'll have “pancakes” that look more like custard or crepes.

What is the best grease for pancakes? ›

There's no one right answer for pancakes: Some chefs are fans of using butter, while others swear by greasing their pan or griddle with oil. If you go with the former, a high-fat butter, sold in a stick (not whipped!), works best for this breakfast food.

European 'pancakes' originated from Brittany, in the north of France. They are thin and flat cakes with a reference to “frying pan cakes” found in the work of 5th century BC Greek poets. When made with wheat flour they are called crȇpes, and galettes when made with buckwheat flour.

And British pancakes are endlessly adaptable. Unlike their puffy, cake-like cousins, there's no sugar in the mix meaning they work for savoury toppings as well as sweet. And yes, I know the Yanks like theirs with bacon alongside the maple syrup, but that's down to an intense sweet-salt obsession.

Since 1950, the people of Liberal, Kansas, and Olney have held the "International Pancake Day" race between the two towns. The two towns' competitors race along an agreed-upon measured course. The times of the two towns' competitors are compared to determine a winner overall.

Hotcakes. Adding to the confusion, some regions and countries refer to pancakes as "hotcakes." While essentially the same thing as pancakes, the term "hotcake" tends to be used more commonly in parts of the Midwest and South in the United States.