Best flour for making American style pancakes?

[Cloudberry]

After many disappointing attempts at recreating the weekend treat of big, soft and fluffy American style pancakes I have to ask if there is a special flour I should be using here in Finland? I have been using the Suununtai "Erikoisvenhäjauho" one and the pancakes keep coming out rubbery. Is there a better flour to use to a get a nice light fluffy pancake?

[malongo]

far as i can tell erikoisvenhäjauho is finer than all-purpose flour, which is what most people use to make american pancakes. AFP here is called karkeavehnäjauho, i think.

other tips: it also helps if you sift the flour in rather than just mix it in, and of course the amount of baking powder/soda will affect the texture as well. you may also want to play around with the egg amount if you're using an american recipe, since american eggs tend to be much larger than their finnish counterparts.

or you could just buy the premade mix; they sell aunt jemima at behnfords and k-market in kamppi.

good luck!

[Cloudberry]

Ahh okay, I'll try the karkeavehnäjauho flour (sifted!) and substitue oil for butter. Buttermilk always makes pancakes extra special although with the other flour the result was terrible. Let's see how we go with this new flour thanks

[maxxfi]

I also use buttermilk and not plain milk. Seems to give the added bubbles.

Well, in Irish soda bread recipe, it's exactly the reaction between buttermilk and a tiny bit of soda
that makes the dough bubble and become softer, so I guess it's working the same way (though on
a minor extent, as there is no soda or other strong alkali) in the pancake mix.

[jtammilehto]

And pray tell what are 'American' pancakes? I grew up on the East Coast eating mostly buckwheat pancakes.

[jtammilehto]

Here's a pretty good page on flour

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/FlourTypes.htm

For pancakes using baking powder or cream of tartar or some leavening agent, it is good to have some wheat (gluten) flour in the mix. But one can use all kinds of additional flours for flavor and/or consistency. Spelt, barley, corn meal, oats, buckwheat, etc. all suitable. Have never tried rye - could be interesting. Dan dark syrup makes a decent 'cheap' substitute for maple - though of course without the neat maple flavor but anyhow good.

I've also found using yeast as the rising agent also good, Either dry or regular. This way one gets another flavor and can avoid the sodium in the baking powder. 30 minutes rising team usually enough.

[Cloudberry]

And pray tell what are 'American' pancakes? I grew up on the East Coast eating mostly buckwheat pancakes.

..as opposed to the crepe style Finnish pannukakku. The difference is the use of baking powder in the "American pancakes". Finnish pancakes are flat and
not risen.
I was raised with buttermilk or blueberry pancakes and I come from Canada so, no, I didn't use the term American, either.

I just used the term American style to distinguish them from Finnish lettu type pancakes. I never actually used that term back in Australia - we just called them pancakes there

I used to make big soft fluffy ones with buttermilk or yoghurt but they are a total disaster here. But yesterday I picked up the flour suggested by malongo - I'll report back once I've had a chance to try it

[jtammilehto]

or you could just buy the premade mix; they sell aunt jemima at behnfords and k-market in kamppi.

Please, folks, try to avoid this kind of thing.

[Cloudberry]

Just a quick update in case people find their way here looking for the best flour to use when making pancakes...

I have tried a few different flours and this morning I used Sunnuntai Anni Helena Kakkuvehnäjauho and it's perfect! First time in Finland that I've had real, fluffy pancakes

[Keravalainen]

Hi Cloudberry!

Could you please reveal your recipe where you successfully used Sunnuntai Anni Helena Kakkuvehnäjauho?