IHOP Free Pancakes

IHOP is giving out free pancakes Tuesday to benefit the Children's Miracle Network.

Alena, 13, and Frankie, 6, from the CMN and Sobhy Abdelhady from IHOP stopped by Good Day to talk about how your donation can help change a child's life.

childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org

www.ihop.com

BEST BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

Makes nine 6-inch pancakes

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 c. buttermilk
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for griddle

Heat griddle to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps. Heat oven to 175 degrees (for keeping the finished pancakes warm). Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto griddle. Wipe off excess. Using a 4-ounce ladle, about 1/2 cup, pour pancake batter, in pools 2 inches away from one other. When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter, keeping finished pancakes on a heatproof plate in oven. Serve warm.

"The key to fluffy pancakes is not to overmix the batter; it should not be beaten smooth. If serving these pancakes with bacon, reserve half a teaspoon of bacon drippings to grease the griddle instead of butter."

BUTTER SYRUP

1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 stick butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Melt together whipping cream, butter and sugar over low heat. Slowly increase heat until the mixture barely comes to a boil. Add vanilla & baking soda. Turn off heat while whisking continually until ready to serve

TIPS ON MAKING PANCAKES

IHOP's famous pancake recipe is top secret, but you can make your own perfect pancakes at home. Here are IHOP's tips to ensure your pancakes come out perfect every time.

Water temperature - when preparing your dry pancake mix it is essential that water be chilled to less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Using ice we bring our water to this temperature when preparing a fresh batch of pancake batter.

Lumps are good - do not over mix the pancake batter. Ensure that there are some lumps of flour that remain. If the batter is a smooth consistency you will not be able to prepare tall, fluffy pancakes.

Grill temperature - ensure that your grill is at 350 degrees and that you do not have hot or cold spots on the grill that can affect cooking time.

Cook time - we judge if a pancake is ready by appearance. When dropping the pancake batter we look for bubbles to form and for the batter to have a dull appearance, this is approximately 2.5 minutes. After flipping, cook approximately 2 minutes. Appearance is the best judge as temperatures can vary.

ABOUT IHOP

For 51 years, the IHOP family restaurant chain has served its world famous pancakes and a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner items that are loved by people of all ages. IHOP offers its guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. The first IHOP opened in Toluca Lake, Calif. in 1958, and as of September 30, 2009, there were 1,433 IHOPs in 50 states, Canada and Mexico. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operated by Glendale, Calif.-based International House of Pancakes, LLC and its affiliates. International House of Pancakes, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).

NOTE: For centuries, the English have 'flipped' for pancakes in celebration of Shrove Tuesday, which heralds the beginning of fasting during Lent. Long ago, strict rules prohibited the eating of all dairy products during Lent, so pancakes were made to use up the supply of eggs, milk, butter and other dairy products . . . hence the name Pancake Tuesday. IHOP introduced "National Pancake Day" (which always takes place in February) as a tribute to the centuries old tradition, but more importantly thank guests for their patronage and give back to the community.