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British pancakes have three key ingredients: plain flour, eggs and milk. The batter is quite runny and forms a thin layer on the bottom of the frying pan when the pan is tilted. It may form some bubbles during cooking, which result in a pale pancake with dark spots where the bubbles were, but the pancake does not rise. These pancakes may be eaten sweet with the traditional topping of lemon juice and sugar, or wrapped around savoury stuffings and eaten as a main course. When baked instead of fried, this batter rises (depite having no raising agents – it rises because the air beaten into the batter expands) and is known as Yorkshire pudding. British pancakes are similar to crepes, but are not "lacy" in appearance.

American pancakes contain a raising agent, usually baking soda, and different proportions of eggs, flour and milk which create a thick batter. This batter is either spooned or poured onto a hot surface, and spreads to form a cake about 1/4 or 1/3 inch (1cm) thick. The raising agent causes bubbles to rise to the uncooked side of the pancake, at which point they are ready to be flipped. The resulting pancakes are very light in texture, similar to what the British call drop scones or Scotch pancakes. They are often served at breakfast topped with maple syrup and butter. In the US, pancakes can also be referred to as hotcakes, griddlecakes, and flapjacks.

German pancakes often served in American pancake houses, are shaped as a bowl, come in a variety of sizes, some quite large and nearly impossible for one person to complete. They are commonly eaten with lemons and powdered sugar, although jelly is sometimes used as well.

Pancakes are cooked one side at a time, being flipped by the cook halfway through. The process of tossing or flipping them is, to many people, part of the essence of the pancake, and one of the skills that separates the experienced cook from the beginner.

American pancakes can be made sweet or savory by adding foods like raisinA Raisin is a sun-dried or artificially dried grape, used in cooking and baking. Raisins are extremely sweet due to their high sugar content, and if they are stored for a long period the sugar crystallises inside the fruit. This makes the fruit gritty, bus, cheeseCheese is a foodstuff made from the curdled milk of various animals, most frequently cows, but often goats, sheep, and water buffalo. Rennet is often used to induce milk to coagulate, although some cheeses are curdled with acids like vinegar or lemon juic or baconBacon is a name for certain cuts of meat taken from the sides or back or belly of a pig, cured and possibly smoked. It is generally considered a breakfast dish, cut into thin slices before being fried, or grilled. It is commonly used as an ingredient in r to the batter. British pancakes can be stuffed after cooking with a wide variety of sweet or savoury fillings. Both are often sweetened after cooking by pouring on syrup or sprinkling with powdered sugar.

In the United States, the pancake is usually a breakfast food, but it is so popular that a franchised restaurant called International House of PancakesThe International House of Pancakes or IHOP (pronounced eye-hop) is a North American restaurant chain that specializes in serving United States breakfast foods. Although it does have other menu items (such as hamburgers or french fries), its specialty lie, commonly called IHOP, has more than 1,000 restaurants.

In Great BritainGreat Britain (often abbreviated as Britain is an island lying off the western coast of Europe, comprising the main territory of the United Kingdom. Great Britain is also used as a political term describing the combination of England, Scotland, and Wales,, pancakes are eaten as a dessert, or served savoury with a main meal. They are also traditionally eaten on Shrove TuesdayIn the Christian calendar, Shrove Tuesday is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which in turn marks the beginning of Lent. In many countries in Europe and America this is the last day of Carnival. In some historically Francophone places it is Mardi Gras, F which is also known as "Pancake Day". According to tradition, this was in order to use up the last of the fat and rich foods before LentIn Western Christianity, Lent is the period preceding the Christian holy day of Easter. Eastern Christianity calls this period Great Lent, to distinguish it from the Winter Lent (or Advent) that precedes Christmas. The remainder of this article will discu. Charity or school events are often organised on Pancake Day. One popular event is a foot race in which each participant carries a pancake on a frying pan. They have to keep tossing their pancakes in the air (and catching them again!) as they run.

Every Shrove Tuesday, the towns of Olney, England and Liberal, Kansas have a pancake flipping competition. The two towns' competitors race along an agreed-upon course, and the times of all of the two towns' competitors are compared, to determine a winner.

In the Netherlands pancakes are eaten at dinner. Pancake restaurants are popular family restaurants and serve many varieties of sweet, savoury, and stuffed pancakes.