Pancake Recipe Help?

[waterlily-]

Earlier today I was trying out a new recipe for pancakes and they did not turn out at all. I could not get enough milk in them. They began as really, really dry then a very thick, lumpy paste when I stopped trying to mix them up. I've never had a problem with cooking at all except for gluten-free bread. Here's the recipe;

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbs. shortening

2 tbs. oil

1 egg

3/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup potato starch

1/4 tsp. xantham gum

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup buttermilk

In a bowl mix the sugar and shortening. Add everything else, but the buttermilk. Slowly add the milk, till combined.

It's so simple! I can't figure out what on earth went wrong. I'm wondering if it's because I live in Florida? The climate is so different to other places like, if it has something to do with the humidity?? I don't know. Can anyone help me out with this? Thanks!

[SUZIN]

I wonder if the choice of cornstarch and potato starch is the problem....Cornstarch is used to thicken things like gravy...I would think it would end up gummy....when I make pancakes I use combinations of various flours...Rice flour, oat flour, sorghum, along with potatoe starch and tapioca starch...

[RiceGuy]

I've found that fats and starches don't work well for pancakes. At least not for me. And only a tiny amount of a binder is tolerable, any more and they'll be gooey inside no matter how long they're cooked.

While I'm not a big pancake fan, I find buckwheat flour works quite well. You can find plenty of buckwheat pancake recipes out there too, as they are popular even among those who can eat gluten.

I've also found bean flours work pretty well for pancakes too, though I know most people aren't too thrilled about the taste of bean flours.

[sa1937]

Earlier today I was trying out a new recipe for pancakes and they did not turn out at all. I could not get enough milk in them. They began as really, really dry then a very thick, lumpy paste when I stopped trying to mix them up. I've never had a problem with cooking at all except for gluten-free bread. Here's the recipe;

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbs. shortening

2 tbs. oil

1 egg

3/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup potato starch

1/4 tsp. xantham gum

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup buttermilk

In a bowl mix the sugar and shortening. Add everything else, but the buttermilk. Slowly add the milk, till combined.

It's so simple! I can't figure out what on earth went wrong. I'm wondering if it's because I live in Florida? The climate is so different to other places like, if it has something to do with the humidity?? I don't know. Can anyone help me out with this? Thanks!

This recipe is from The Gluten Free Kitchen by Roben Ryberg. I just got the book but haven't tried the pancakes yet so can't comment as to why they didn't turn out. Her intro to this recipe says, "These are mild, thick pancakes, fashioned after the buttermilk pancakes made from mixes that are found in the grocery store baking aisle. They are great served with butter and syrup."

All of her recipes pretty much call for only potato starch and cornstarch. I've only tried one recipe from this book for Buttermilk Bread, which turned out using these starches.

[lizard00]

They do seem awfully starchy. I am a fan of Carol Fenster, myself. She uses a mixture of sorghum, potato and tapioca starches. The fat content does seem high, also. I let my pancakes sit for 5 minutes after I mix them to let them settle, and then usually have to add a drop or two of milk.

[Roda]

This is the recipe I use and my husband and two boys who are not gluten free love them. We do stir in some mini cinnamon chips into the batter which makes them even better!

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[waterlily-]

Thanks all! :]