Old-time ingredients boost modern-day pancake recipes

Step back in time say at least a couple of centuries and even further back. It is then that two ingredients add flavor to modern-day baked goods.

Yeast and buttermilk in baked goods could be likened to what umami is to broths and savory dishes. Yeast lightens and enhances baked items; buttermilk adds a slight tartness and a creamy richness to baked goodies. The centuries old yeast and buttermilk combo adds that certain something that makes one say, “Mmmm.”

Coast caterer Terry Cameron Turan requested a recipe for yeast pancakes. She said her mother made them, but she failed to get the recipe. This stated a search.

Martha Stewart says, “Flapjacks turn fancy with yeast batter that gives them a brioche-like texture.”

Yeast pancakes are fluffy and can be made to set in the fridge overnight or ready to hit the griddle in 10 minutes plus rising time. The overnight yeast pancakes have more ingredients and use active dry yeast while the others use quick-rise yeast.

The overnight pancakes are great for hectic mornings. Just stir up the night before, and cooks are ready to go.

Stewart and other food experts say cooks should plan on making extras to use in other sweet or savory dishes.

While pancakes grace American breakfast tables, other countries enjoy the cakes for all meals and even celebrate with special days.

Let’s just say biscuits are not biscuits without buttermilk. The soured milk gives the biscuits a rich flavor.

Rosetta Richards, a Women of Wisdom sister and board member, makes the best buttermilk pie. If she makes one for WOW meetings, she knows she must make two. The custard-like pie is sweet but not too sweet and yet has a finishing note of tart creaminess, taking the sweet less sweet, but ever so good.

For Easter, I planned to take a buttermilk pie to our church’s Easter lunch, but I was ill. My daughter stepped in and made the pie. She could not find Richards’ recipe, but she found another good one.

“I never thought I would like buttermilk, but I like the edge it gives to the finishing bites,” she said. “And it is an easy pie.”

There those two long-used ingredients are now the umami of baked goods.

Overnight pancakes

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

6 large eggs, room temperature

4 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

Dissolve yeast in warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the next 5 ingredients. Whisk eggs, buttermilk and oil; stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Stir in yeast mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 8 hours or overnight.

To make pancakes, lightly grease griddle and preheat over medium heat. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto griddle; cook until bubbles on top begin to pop and bottoms are golden brown. Turn cook, until second side is golden brown. – From Taste of Home magazine

Yeast pancakes

2 packages (1/4-ounce each) quick-rise yeast

3 cups warm milk (120 to 130 degrees), divided

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 eggs, lightly beaten

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm milk. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Gradually stir in the yeast mixture and butter until smooth. Combine the eggs and remaining milk; stir into batter until well-combined. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Pour batter by 1/2 cupfuls onto a greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes; cook until second side is golden brown. – From Taste of Home magazine

Buttermilk pie

1 9-inch pie crust, unbaked (homemade, refrigerated or frozen)

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix eggs, granulated sugar, flour, butter, buttermilk, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt until well-combined. Pour into the unbaked pie crust and bake for 45-50 minutes until set and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool prior to slicing. Store in refrigerator. – Robyn Stone at www.addapinch.com/

Andrea Yeager is a free-lance writer living in Gulfport.

This story was originally published April 11, 2021 at 12:00 AM.