How do I keep pancakes warm?

[Fairy]

I am a terrible cook. I mean I fail far more than I succeed. Usually when we have people over, we order in or go out then come back to the house. Tomorrow I'm having brunch for my ILs. My SIL is an amazing cook and hostess, so i very much want to return this favor, but I'm a bit worried. So, I'm making pancakes and these fritatta things. I practiced the fritattas last night, and they worked! So, I can do them again tomorrow, no prob. But the pancakes? I'm hit or miss on those. I make them from scratch ever since a disturbing meal worm incident with the Bisquick (yep). The recipe is right, so here are my questions. Again, I'm ignorant on the art of cooking. It ry, but ugh -->

* Do you make a bunch of small ones at once, or do you make one big one at a time, then keep them warm till eating?

* How do I keep them warm? Cover them? Put them in the oven? What temperature to ensure they're not dried out?

* I know to flip them when the bubbles appear, but half the time they're not really done enough on the bottom. How do I avoid this?

* Once flipped, how do I know when they're done, as the bubbles tip off is only good for the first side?

Thanks in advance!

-- Fairy

[bubbaray]

Pancakes aren't my best either -- they are DH's job. However, you really MUST try these ones:

http://recipes.chatelaine.com/recipe...?recipeId=7703

They ROCK. I (or DH) make them and sub 100% whole wheat flour. They are sooooo good!

Cook them on quite low heat. Turn 1st time when bubbles appear (look under with the flipper to confirm that side is done before you flip. Flip and in a couple of minutes check the second side. I usually remove from the heat by checking color, KWIM?

I keep them warm in the toaster oven (on bake, not toast) or a low heat oven (~ 200F).

GL!

[Fairy]

OOh! That one looks really, really good! I have all the ingredients! Totally doing that one. Thanks!

[bubbaray]

They are thicker than you might expect. DH swears by shaking the pan over the burner (we have gas, easy to do), kinda like you popping pop corn the old-fashioned way. Just a couple of times, otherwise they end up too thick.

GL!

[kijip]

* Do you make a bunch of small ones at once, or do you make one big one at a time, then keep them warm till eating?

Depends on your pan or griddle size and how good you are at flipping large pancakes. I tend to stick to smaller ones, usually 2 in a huge cast iron pan. My little brother does a dozen still smaller ones on an electric griddle. My husband does 1 in the pan I do two in...but you only need one of those to fill up.

* How do I keep them warm? Cover them? Put them in the oven? What temperature to ensure they're not dried out?

Oven at about 200 ish works for us for pancakes, waffles and french toast.

* I know to flip them when the bubbles appear, but half the time they're not really done enough on the bottom. How do I avoid this?

The bubbles should be ALL over the surface, not just on the edges.

* Once flipped, how do I know when they're done, as the bubbles tip off is only good for the first side?

If you wait to flip till the top side has little bubbles all over, the second side cooks in a very short time. Like a minute, tops. And no wet/gooey/raw dough in the center.

This is what has worked for me. And I have cooked a lot of pancakes- doing it since I was like 10. I used to be impatient and flip too soon (just bubbles on the edges, not all over) or cook them on med-high. You want to cook them closer to med-low.

HTH!

[Fairy]

Hey, the pancakes worked out pretty well. For me, that is! I used a plain recipe that I've used before (was gonna go with Melissa's but bailed at the last minute), but I doubled it, and the consistency was way thicker than it should have been. I am 100% positive I did it 100% right, as my SIL was right there with me and agrees we didn't miss anything, so not sure what happened there. They were a bit stiff, rather than fluffy, but they still tasted good, and everyone pigged out, so i consider it a success! I really am a culinary idiot, so, I appreciate the patience with the dumb questions. Thanks much, Guys!

[elephantmeg]

I put them in the oven-I preheat the oven to like 180 and then turn it off. Keeps em toasty but not dry.

[amldaley]

I take a plate, wipe a little water on it, microwave it, get it hot. Put hot cakes on, wrap in a clean tea towel.

[irie i]

My Mom used to use a tortilla warmer!

http://www.texasrollingpins.com/tortillawarmer.html