Fluffy Light Pancakes

Directions

1. 1
   Put the egg whites in a bowl, and chill them in the refrigerator or freezer until they're ice cold but not frozen.
2. 2
   The meringue will whip up in no time this way!
3. 3
   Warm up a frying pan over low heat!
4. 4
   This evens out the temperature over the whole surface of the frying pan, and prevents the pancakes from cooking unevenly!
5. 5
   In the meantime, measure out the pancake mix and mix it up with a whisk!
6. 6
   This prevents any lumps from forming!
7. 7
   Add the egg yolks and milk to the pancake mix, and stir with a whisk until the batter is no longer floury.
8. 8
   To ensure that the pancakes will be light, don't overmix!
9. 9
   Whip up the ice cold egg whites to make a stiff meringue.
10. 10
    This is the key to making the pancakes thick!
11. 11
    If you are beating the egg whites with a handheld mixer, start on low speed, whip at high speed, then finish by whipping at low speed to make the texture of the meringue even.
12. 12
    Add 1/3 of the meringue to the pancake batter, and mix it up from the bottom with a rubber spatula.
13. 13
    When the batter is evenly mixed, add the rest of the meringue in 2 batches while folding it in by mixing up from the bottom.
14. 14
    If you add all the meringue at once to the pancake batter it won't mix in properly!
15. 15
    Put the bottom of the warmed frying pan on a tightly wrung out moistened kitchen towel.
16. 16
    This is done to even out the temperature in the pan.
17. 17
    The kitchen towel will get very hot so be careful!
18. 18
    Oil a circular ring mold and the frying pan.
19. 19
    Personally I prefer to oil the frying pan even if I'm using a non-stick one, since I think the pancakes look more appetizing when they're cooked with a little oil.
20. 20
    Place the circular ring mold in the frying pan, and pour the batter into it.
21. 21
    I used a 12 cm diameter mold in the photo.
22. 22
    It holds about 2.5 ladlefuls of batter.
23. 23
    Cover the frying pan with a lid and cook it slowly over low heat.
24. 24
    Aim for about 20 minutes.
25. 25
    When the surface of the pancake has formed many air bubbles, and feels moist yet set when you touch it, make sure the bottom is well browned and turn the pancake over, with oven mitts on both hands to protect them.
26. 26
    If the pancake doesn't come easily off the frying pan even if it's not burned, let it cook for a while longer!
27. 27
    It may not come off easily because it's not cooked enough!
28. 28
    If the surface is not cooked enough, the batter may run when you turn the pancake over and the thickness wont be even.
29. 29
    On the other hand if the surface is cooked too much, it won't brown nicely.
30. 30
    After turning the pancake over, press down on it slightly so that the bottom adheres well to the frying pan.
31. 31
    Make sure the circular ring mold can be removed with ease too.
32. 32
    When the pancake is nicely browned it's done!
33. 33
    It takes about 10 minutes.
34. 34
    If you toast the pancakes in a toaster just before eating them, they'll be crispy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, and so good!
35. 35
    Serve the pancakes topped with whipped cream for an even more Hoshino Coffee House-like flavor!
36. 36
    (See