How to choose the best pancake pan?
Every housewife should have a frying pan designed specifically for baking pancakes. To ensure that the pancakes turn out fluffy and tasty, and the cooking process does not take much time and effort, you need to know how to choose a pancake pan.
What kind of pan should be used for pancakes?
There are many pans for baking pancakes, differing from each other in shape, size, material and quality of coating. But they all must meet the following requirements:
- low sides, thanks to which you can easily turn over or toss the pancake;
- thickened bottom that can withstand huge temperature changes;
- long handle that doesn't heat up well.
A round frying pan is considered a classic version of this cookware. Although today there are also square models, because wrapping the filling in such pancakes is much more convenient.
Depending on the material used, frying pans are divided into several types, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Non-stick frying pan
For those who are just starting to master the art of making pancakes, a non-stick pancake pan is perfect. You can fry on it almost without oil, while the dough does not stick to the work surface and the product can be easily turned over.
One of the advantages of such utensils is their low cost, availability and ease of care.To start cooking pancakes in a non-stick frying pan, simply heat the surface to the desired temperature and grease it once with oil.
Teflon cookware has some minor disadvantages.
Important!
A Teflon-coated frying pan must not be heated to temperatures exceeding 220°C. Otherwise, the frying surface begins to release toxic substances.
Manufacturers provide modern models with special indicators that help control the heating temperature.
In addition, the pancake pan with non-stick coating does not tolerate careless handling. It can only be washed with a soft sponge and liquid detergents. To turn pancakes, use only wooden or plastic spatulas, protecting the surface from scratches and chips.
To prepare stuffed pancakes, you should choose a frying pan with a diameter of 25 cm. If you plan to cook small pancakes, you can purchase a model with a diameter of 15 cm.
Cast iron pancake pan
Many experienced housewives prefer cast iron frying pans for baking pancakes. The first cast-iron pancake frying pan appeared in the 3rd century BC. e. and still remains the most reliable and durable.
Cast iron pancake pans are distinguished by their significant weight, which sometimes reaches 3 kg. Before cooking, such dishes require pre-treatment.
- A new cast iron frying pan must be thoroughly washed in water and detergent, wiped dry, covered with salt and put on fire.
- Heat the dishes over high heat for an hour until the salt darkens. This procedure can be done two or three times. Salt will draw out the fumes and technical oils used in the manufacture of dishes.
- Continuing the preparation process, it is recommended to pour half a glass of vegetable oil into the frying pan and heat it until smoke forms. Heat the frying pan together with the oil for 20-30 minutes, then cool the dishes and rinse them with cold water. After this treatment, a thin oil film will form on the frying surface, and the frying pan will be ready for use.
Before choosing a cast iron pancake pan, you need to carefully study the quality of the frying surface. It should be absolutely smooth, without potholes or sagging, with barely noticeable roughness. Over time, such dishes do not lose their properties and only become better.
The pancake cast iron frying pan has sides of 1-2 cm, and the buyer chooses the diameter according to his taste. We must remember that the larger the frying surface, the heavier the cookware.
When starting to bake pancakes in a new cast iron frying pan, you need to prepare for the fact that the first pancakes will be “lumpy”. This is quite normal, and everything will work out the third or fourth time, just remember to add oil before each new pancake.
After completion of work, the pan should be cooled, rinsed in warm water and dried with a paper towel.
Important!
To prevent a cast iron frying pan from losing its properties and becoming rusty, it must be stored absolutely dry.
Pancake maker with ceramic coating
The new generation of cookware includes frying pans with ceramic coating. They are cast products made of cast iron, steel or aluminum, the frying surface of which is covered with a smooth layer of ceramics.
Unlike Teflon cookware, a ceramic frying pan has several advantages:
- the frying surface is more durable and resistant to destruction;
- pancakes in a ceramic frying pan do not burn, since ceramics have high non-stick characteristics;
- The dishes are environmentally friendly, are not afraid of high temperatures and do not emit toxins, because ceramics consists of natural materials - sand, stone, water.
The only disadvantage of frying pans with ceramic coating is their high cost, which is justified by the quality of the cookware.
Before using a frying pan with a ceramic surface for the first time, it should be washed, wiped dry, heated over medium heat and, after pouring a little oil, calcined. The ceramic coating will absorb the fat, after which you can cook the pancakes without adding oil.
Ceramic dishes should be stored clean and dry. Pancake pans that remain dirty for a long time after frying will not last long. Despite the strength of the ceramic layer, it is recommended to use wooden or plastic spatulas to flip the pancakes.
Frying pans with marble coating
An analogue of the ceramic component in the production of tableware is the marble coating, which is made from marble and granite chips. The marbled pancake pan is made of cast aluminum, has a thick bottom and a light-colored non-stick layer that is incredibly scratch-resistant.
Such dishes are not afraid of high temperatures, do not emit toxic substances, and pancakes in a frying pan with a marble coating never burn. This is an ideal option for novice housewives who are deciding which frying pan is best. Pancakes bake perfectly even without oil, and you don’t need to cook a frying pan with a marble coating before using it for the first time. You just need to put the dishes on the fire and start frying pancakes.
Dishes with a marble layer are quite expensive, but if handled well they last a very long time. The rules for caring for marble cookware are the same as for a frying pan with a ceramic coating.
Convenient and high-quality pancake pans will help you decorate your menu with golden pancakes, and baking will bring you real pleasure.