Pancake is mentioned as a popular dessert in the world, this is a simple and extremely easy to prepare cake with ingredients including flour, eggs, butter, milk. Because of that simplicity and deliciousness, pancake becomes a favorite dish in many countries around the world.
The convenience of this cake is the ability to take advantage of the basic ingredients and the extremely fast processing time, the recipe is quite simple. You can eat pancakes for dessert, breakfast or brunch for extra energy. Pancakes are usually not too picky and demanding in enjoying, you can enjoy cakes with a cup of tea, a glass of milk, a glass of apples juice or with fruit jam, honey.
Not required for many sophisticated techniques and materials, the pancake making process is also very fast, so this kind of cake is considered as the easiest cake to make the earth!
What is pancake?
Pancake is a type of pastry with a thin, flat, round shape, made from basic ingredients including flour, eggs, milk and butter. Used as a favorite breakfast, snack or dessert. Pancake can be eaten alone or served with salty topping (sausage, bacon, …) or sweet (fruit jam, fruit, syrup, honey, …) and enjoy with a cup of tea, a glass of milk, coffee or cider, … will give a particularly attractive flavor.
Pancake is a hot cake, originating from France, cooked by frying in a pan with very little oil or butter. This is one of the few types of cake that you do not need to use the oven.
How does Pancake originate?
In 1895 in Maitre in Monte Carlo’s Cafde Paris in northwestern France, there was a fourteen-year-old waiter named Henri Carpentier directly serving the table of Prince Wales. In a process of making dessert for the prince, Henri burned the cake but did not have enough time to make a new one. While extremely worried, he tasted the cake and believed that it was delicious enough to serve the Prince.
Unexpectedly, after enjoying this cake, the prince was extremely excited and asked to reward the maker of this cake with a panama hat, a cane and a precious ring. And that cake is called Pancake (meaning the cake is fried on the pan).
Crepes and Pancakes: What is the difference?
A lot of people wonder that the pancake and crepe have the same shape and making process, so whether they are the same kind or not. In fact, we can understand that these two cakes are dessert cakes that are popular in many parts of the world. Both types of cakes are processed through a pan and fry with very little oil or butter.
Both of these cakes use basic ingredients including eggs, milk, sugar, flour, and butter to be diluted into a mixture. However, they are easy to distinguish through the appearance of the cake. Pancakes are small, bulging and softer while crepes are flattened, thin and have larger sizes.
How many types of Pancake?
Pancake is made into cakes that are thin, flat, round, and often fried on hot pans. Depending on the needs and personal preferences, this cake can be prepared with different salty and sweet taste. Pancake is fried by using butter or cooking oil to sweep the pan surface so as not to burn or dry the cake.
Sweet pancake is often served with fruits, fresh cream, butter, syrup, honey,… depending on the preferences of each person. Sweet pancake will taste better when eat together with milk, juice and tea.
Salty pancake is served with sausage, bacon,… salty pancake can also be enjoyed with light wine, cider to taste better.
Pancake is loved by many countries around the world, and the more special thing is that this dish is transformed into a lot of cakes with different flavors to suit the national culinary culture.
However, the key feature of this type of cake is that they are fried on a non-stick pan.
What is the Pancake Pan?
The pancake pan is a non-stick pan with flat surface or shaped. Pancake frying pans also have pre-set molds, you can choose simple round molds or animal-shaped molds, hearts, fruit shapes or other fancy and funny shapes.
Pancake frying pan has a unique non-stick coating, you do not even need to use cooking oil or butter when frying. Just simply pour the mixture on the molds, wait until the cake swells up and then turn other side to complete the simple steps for the delicious pancake.
Besides the frying function, this handy pan can also be used as a mold pan for a variety of foods such as eggs, bacon, minced meat, sausages, or to heat food quickly.
Why do you need a non-stick Pancake Pan in the kitchen?
It would be great if your kitchen has a non-stick pancake pan to prepare for breakfast with some delicious pancakes in the fastest way. Especially for those who first cook or those who are not good at cooking. Surely you do not want to make a pancake that is not beautiful or unevenly cooked.
On the other hand, the pancake pan has easy-to-use features and it is also very easy to clean, so it is definitely a must- have item in your kitchen.
What factors should be considered when choosing Pancake Pan?
#1 Weight of pan:
Pancake pan is usually quite light weight, this kind of pan is also a non-stick pan so the volume also represents durability. The durability of the heavy pan is usually higher than the light one.
However, compared to light pans, it is more difficult to handle and clean the heavy one. You should consider the pros and cons of each type so you can choose the most suitable pan for you.
#2 What is the material of the pan?
Material is an important determinant of the longevity of pancake pans and health safety issues for users. Some of the safe materials you need to consider include:
#3 Stainless steel pancake pan:
Stainless steel is composed of iron and 10.5% chromium alloy, according to the evaluation, the quality of stainless steel pancake pan depends on the nickel ratio, the higher the nickel rate, the higher quality and more durable the pan is.
Most stainless steel pans can be used directly on gas stoves and infrared stoves, in all types of stainless steel, only kind of 403 stainless steel can be used on induction stoves while 201 stainless steel and 304 stainless steel can not.
– Advantages:
At the bottom of the stainless steel pancake pan, there are 2-3 layers of heat, so it gives good heat transfer capability, ensuring faster cooking, saving time and energy.
The surface of the pan is shiny, difficult to be stained, scratch-resistant and easy to clean after using. Prices range from low-priced products to high-end products.
– Disadvantages:
Weight is heavier than aluminum so it is difficult to hold and move when cooking.
The ability to radiate heat depends on the quality of the bottom of the pan.
#4 Aluminum alloy pancake pan:
Aluminum alloy is a combination of aluminum and other metals, compared to solid aluminum, it is harder and its surface have been treated to limit the amount of aluminum that can be dissolved into food.
Aluminum alloy pancake pans only work well on gas stoves and infrared stoves, but if you want to work well on the induction cooker, it is imperative that pans have to be designed with magnetic bottom.
– Advantages:
Being able to transfer heat quickly, heat evenly which can help food to be cooked faster while reducing energy wastage.
Design with a sturdy handle wrapped with plastic or silicon insulation.
Particularly with the pan is designed with the magnetic bottom, can cook faster without worrying about being burned the pancake.
Price is not too high.
– Disadvantages:
The bearing capacity, heat resistance and impact resistance are not very high so it is easy to scratch or distort.
This material can be melted when heated at high temperatures for a long time.
#5 Cast aluminum pan:
Use solid aluminum material to cast in pre-formed molds instead of using thermal methods to bend. Because of that, the cast aluminum pan has a very thick bottom, the ability to disperse the temperature evenly, keep the heat long and have a high longevity.
The cast aluminum pan is equipped with an additional non- stick, anti-rust coating that is safe for health and ensures food is not adhered to the bottom of the pan. Compared to the aluminum alloy pan, in the bottom of the cast aluminum pan, there is an extra layer, so you can freely use it on all types of gas cookers, infrared cookers or even induction cookers.
– Advantages:
The ability to transfer heat evenly and keep the heat well helps to maximize energy savings.
– Disadvantages:
Because there is a very thick bottom, the time to absorb heat is relatively long.
Heavy weight makes it difficult to handle.
Price is relatively high.
#6 The size and shape of the pan
Based on the need to use, you can choose a pancake pan of suitable size and shape.
The pancake pan has a flat surface with a diameter of about 20 to 22 inches. This is a non-shaped one and it is usually a type of electric stove. You just need to plug it in and can use it right away.
Another type is the smaller one. This type can be used on gas cookers, induction cookers or infrared cookers., is usually about 8 to 12 inches in size.
If you want to make large rations, you should use a large size, flat surface stove to save cooking time and increase efficiency.
#7 Origin and brand
The origin and brand are an indispensable element when buying any product and the pancake pan is no exception.
Kitchen utensils often have a direct influence on the health of users, so choosing a reputable brand product with clear origin is extremely important.
You should take time to research the product before buying and read the review of previous customers in order to have the most comprehensive and objective view of the product.
Top 4 Best Pancake Pan 2022
#1 Presto 07061 Electric Griddle
Presto is long- standing brand from the United States, founded in 1905 in Wisconsin. This is also a reputable and respectable brand in the household and electrical equipment industry.
The brand always improves its products to suit customers’ tastes, so it always receives the love of housewives.
Presto 07061 Electric Griddle has elegant and luxurious appearance to make your kitchen space more comfortable and modern. Bringing a modern design with a black coating, simple and delicate design contributes to the elegance of your kitchen space.
The surface has an oil drain and the bottom has an oil trap, making it easy to remove excess grease when cooking. In addition, the large surface makes it convinient to fry pancake, eggs or bacon at the same time.
The handle can be removed so it can be used in dishwashers, kept neatly compared to other electric griddle.
However, because of the flat surface, making the pancake into a perfect circle is quite difficult, requiring the technician to have skill and experience. Pancakes frying in this pan are usually quite thin and large, so they are not really bulging and spongy.
#2 Nordic Ware Scandinavian Silver Dollar Pancake Pan
Nordic Ware is a US brand, extremely well known for its quality with the affordable price. This brand is trusted by many housewives, one of its best-selling products is the pancake pan.
Nordic Ware Pancake Pan this is one of the most molded pancake pans (including fruit, Christmas, smileys, snowflakes, animals), bring newness to traditional dishes and make chirdren excited when enjoying their breakfast.
The pan is made of cast aluminum so it is very durable, capable of keeping heat and radiating evenly. Moreover, with pre-molded molds, you do not need to be so clever, just pour the mixture into the mold and then fry it. You can also fry eggs, bacon or other ingredients in these molds to fit your pancake.
This product is suitable for housewives who are not too skillful or have small children, want to bring a new feeling for family breakfast.
The only minus point of this product is the plastic handle made in China. Many users complain that the handle is really hot and they even can find unpleasant smell when cooking. Therefore, they cannot evaluate this product as a perfect product.
#3 Perfect Pancake Pan of Allstar Marketing
Allstar Marketing seems to be an unfamiliar name in the kitchen sector. However, the company’s products received quite high reviews from customers. The speciality of this brand is the simple design, not too sophisticated but focusing on the features of the product.
Allstar Marketing Perfect Pancake Pan is a pan with a double-sided design, the main side has 4 round molds, the other side is a flat surface to flip the cake. You can also fry eggs or other ingredients but becareful when flipping the pan.
Pancake is fried with beautiful caramel color and perfectly round so you can easily serve with other topping and decorate it.
However, this type of pancake pan is still rated negatively. The screws do not work well after a period of use. They make opening and closing become difficult and even fall apart. So you should pay attention to this part if you do not want your pancake to fall out like those screws.
#4 Gourmia GPA9510 Pancake Pan
Gourmia is one of the leading brands in the kitchen sector and it is a famous Mexican brand. Gourmia’s products are priced not too high compare to other brand in the market. With a modern and friendly design, its products are suitable for all types of designs in your home kitchen.
Gourmia GPA9510 Pancake Pan is designed with 7 molds and covered with PFOA free non-stick coating that is completely safe for health.
The pan is made of cast aluminum so it is very durable and has a high longevity. It also means that the pan is quite heavy, difficult to move when cooking. However, this is also a very good non-stick material for a pancake pan.
This type of pancake pan is suitable for housewives who love products with high durability and who are not afraid of moving when cooking.
Despite of its good price and PFOA free non-stick coating, this pancake pan is still remained saome problems. The pan seems to not work well with the induction cooker. Many people said the magnet at the bottom of the pan is not stick, even when they tested many times. Perhaps this pancake pan should work only with a gas stove, so it can keep positive rating of customers.
Conclusion
Currently in the market, there are many types of pancake pans of unclear origin and poor quality. Pancake pan is an object that directly affects your health, so be alert when choosing for yourself a pancake pan. Hopefully the above tips and reviews will help you choose the most suitable pancake pan to make a great cake for your family breakfast.
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