Delicious & Fluffy Yeast Pancakes

When S headed to college I fell out of Sunday mornings pancake making tradition, so when I saw this Red Star Yeast recipe, I was eager to give this yeast version a try and get back on the Sunday morning pancake wagon. This Sunday is Spring like, cheery and sunny, birds are chirping, a perfect bright day to add this yeast pancakes version to my ever growing pancake recipes sash.

The first batch I made this Saturday went in a flash, so I only had a chance to snap a couple of photographs, so I made a second batch this Sunday morning to photograph. I can't wait to make it again next week when S is back with his English roommate for Spring break. A yeast surprise twist to keep breakfast and brunch interesting, alternating with my French Crepes and Rolled Oats Pancakes. I hope crumpets and pikelets conversation will ensue again. I am still confused from the last time the fellows were here visiting on Thanksgiving break, captured somewhat in my celeriac mashed potatoes post.You Brits and my friends down under know exactly what I am speaking of! Help!

Many of you know of my professional collaboration with Red Star Yeast, this post is part of the Marbled Rye Bread, Cinnamon Buns and Multigrain Oatmeal Bread series. My method is slightly different than Red Star Yeast's directions and I varied the ingredients a tad. Check out the original recipe here. These yeast pancakes are light and fluffy and hold their shape and beautiful volume well after cooking. They were a pure joy with maple syrup but you can make a chocolate sauce or lemon curd to go with them. For variation's sake, you can replace the milk with orange juice and substitute the butter with oil.

Yeast Pancakes
makes dozen large
adapted from Red Star Yeast original recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 1/4 oz packet)
2 heaping tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
Some oil to grease griddle or iron cast skillet

Work with a small or a medium hand held whisk.

In a large bowl combine 1 cup flour, yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar, whisk well. Heat up milk and water until very warm temperature and add to flour mixture and whisk until all ingredients are well incorporated. Cover with saran wrap and let rise for an hour.

In a separate bowl whisk 2 eggs well. Add the butter to the eggs and whisk.

In a separate bowl combine the remaining 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking soda and salt and mix with a heat resistant rubber spatula. (we will need the rubber spatula later again to scrape and scoop the last pancake into the griddle).

Heat up a griddle or an iron cast skillet. Once heated pour a few drops oil on the surface. Brush the oil over the skillet or griddle surface. I needed to season the skillet/griddle with oil just once at the beginning.

Beat down the yeast mixture and add the egg and butter mixture while keep whisking until incorporated. Add the dry flour mixture in few batches to the yeast mixture and whisk until well incorporated.

Scoop a small pancake into the griddle to make sure the griddle is hot enough. If it's not, just wait a tad longer for griddle to heat up. The griddle might be too hot and the pancake might brown too fast without cooking inside. Adjust heat and proceed to scoop a full batch.

Scrape the last bit of dough, for the last pancake, left in the bowl with a heat resistant spatula and pour into the the griddle.

I found my iron cast skillet needed to be on low/medium heat in order to get the deep golden color and still give the pancake enough time to cook inside.