Right here I’m going once more. This Shrove Tuesday, for science, I am making an attempt out the viral TikTok air fryer pancake hack.
I’ve put my airfryer (and my culinary abilities) to the check earlier than by making an attempt to cook dinner a complete Christmas dinner in an airfryer (opens in new tab). Whereas that experiment was fairly profitable, my expectations weren’t notably excessive for pancakes. Would they change into fluffy and overcooked? Tons of viral movies on TikTok assured me it was, however I had my doubts.
To date I have been actually impressed with the quantity and number of meals I have been capable of cook dinner in my air fryer. From baked potatoes to greens, meat and non-meat burgers, sausages and bacon, the equipment has been a lifesaver for a lot of a weeknight meal.
The very best air fryer (opens in new tab) are very helpful for busy professionals, massive households and individuals who could not have the house for a hob to cook dinner on. This helpful product can be extra power environment friendly than utilizing an oven. On Pancake Day, many individuals could also be in search of other ways to make pancakes, whether or not that is to make them more healthy or as a result of they do not have entry to a stovetop.
With out additional ado, let’s dive proper in.
Are you able to bake pancakes in an airfryer?
I began my morning by making a small quantity of pancake batter. In a bowl I combined 1 egg, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt. After all of the elements had been crushed and properly mixed, I slowly added 1 cup of milk and saved beating till I acquired a easy and thick batter.
As for cooking occasions, I had learn and seen a number of conflicting info, so I attempted two totally different strategies.
1. The stack
A viral TikTok video confirmed how customers made a stack of pancakes in a single go by putting them between baking paper.
After preheating the new air fryer, I lined the underside with a sq. of calmly greased parchment paper. I then poured a small quantity of batter over it, then one other layer of paper, then batter, and so on.
I closed the airfryer and let it cook dinner for five minutes at 200 levels Celsius. When the cooking time was over, the highest pancake was a pleasant golden brown, however the ones beneath had been very pale and barely cooked.
Following the video directions, I positioned a layer of parchment paper on prime of the highest pancake and flipped the stack – this was fairly difficult because the batter and airfryer tray had been very popular. Then I put the drawer again in and turned on the airfryer to bake for one more 5 minutes at 200 levels. By the tip of the cooking course of, the pancakes had been all accomplished, however the center ones nonetheless appeared fairly pale.
2. One after the other
Not being satisfied by the primary technique, I assumed it might be higher to fry pancakes individually to realize even doneness and a golden coloration on either side.
As earlier than, I lined the underside of my scorching air fryer with some calmly greased parchment paper and poured a small quantity of batter over it. I let the pancake bake for 4 minutes at 200 levels. When that was accomplished I flipped the pancake and put it again on to cook dinner for 4 minutes.
On the finish of the cooking course of, the pancake had coloration on either side and was totally cooked. It was fairly crispy on the edges the place the batter was thinner and appeared far more interesting than the pancakes I made in a stack.
The decision
To totally recognize the pancakes, I first tasted them plain. Those cooked in a pile had been cooked very inconsistently – the highest ones had been nearly too crispy and the center ones very rubbery and heavy. Nevertheless, the style was not disagreeable.
The pancakes I cooked individually had been a lot better – whereas the perimeters had been additionally a bit too crispy, the middle was properly cooked and even some thickness and quantity was achieved by the baking powder.
After the primary style check, I stacked the pancakes, coated them in chocolate and banana, and dug in. Have been they the perfect pancakes I might had? Very removed from that. Did I eat the entire pile? Depend on it. Make of it what you’ll.