the fluff factor

I love breakfast. Some days, it's my sole reason for rolling out of bed. I love meals as quick and simple as cereal or shmiscuits and as time-consuming (compared to cereal, anyway) as omelets or muffins.

Pre-syrup smothering.

I think my favorite breakfast of all, however, is a big ol' stack of pancakes. I enjoy many kinds of toppings and fillings--bananas, chocolate chips, blueberries, pecans, peanut butter, butter, maple syrup, and this taste of heaven have all received my official seal of approval.

My latest pancake experiment involved trying to find a way to increase what I like to call the fluff factor. See, I like my pancakes fat like an overstuffed pillow--none of those puff-free discs are welcome on my griddle. I played with a variety of things, like the amount and type of leavening agent, sugar, and fat involved.

The best I've been able to do so far makes use of an unexpected ingredient--coconut oil. At room temperature, this is a solid fat, which is a unique quality for an oil. It's also very heat stable and lasts a long time, even out of the fridge. (So ends your food science lesson for the day.) Please note that you could use any type of fat in lieu of coconut oil, but you won't get that tasty tinge of coconut.

Runaway butter!

The pancakes yielded from this carefully-honed recipe are wonderfully fluffy and flavorful, with the barest, most perfect hint of coconut imaginable. They seem to absorb the ideal amount of syrup, too. I think, for now, my quest for pancake perfection has been satisfied.

Perfectly Poofy Pancakes
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1-1 1/2 cups milk, depending on the thickness you desire
1 tablespoon vanilla

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted fat, milk, and vanilla until combined. Whisk in your sugar and salt, then whisk in the flour and baking powder. Add more milk if necessary to form a thick yet spreadable batter. Refrigerate for 10 to 20 minutes.
Heat and lightly grease your pan or griddle with butter or oil. Pour the batter onto pan by the 1/4-cupful or, if you're like me, heaping 1/2-cupful. Flip the pancake when the edges start to dry up and bubbles form on the top. Cook for about another minute, or until nicely golden brown.