Preparation
- Mix the wet ingredients —In a small bowl, add milk and fresh lemon juice. Set aside for about 10 minutes to allow milk to curdle. Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract and set aside.
- Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients—In a large bowl, add sugar and lemon zest, rubbing together with your fingers until sugar is damp. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and stir until evenly combined.
- Make the batter—Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir to combine. Batter will have lots of small lumps and that’s ok. Stir in the melted butter and poppy seeds until evenly distributed. Let the batter rest for about 15 minutes.
- Prep the pan—Place a large skillet over medium heat. When a drop of water sizzles on the pan, it’s good to go. Add a bit of butter or oil to the pan and swirl to distribute.
- Make the pancakes—Pour about 1/4 cup batter into skillet for each pancake (you might fit 2 or 3 pancakes depending on size of skillet). Cook until edges set and bubbles form all over the tops of pancakes. Flip and cook for another minute or two until browned. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Serve warm with butter and plenty of maple syrup.
TIPS:
Give it a Rest! Letting pancake batter rest before cooking gives milk time to dissolve lumps and allows gluten to relax, ensuring lighter, fluffier pancakes.
Don’t Flip Out—Making pancakes requires patience. If they’re too floppy to flip, they’re not cooked enough. Wait till the bubbles on top pop and don’t fill back in.
