I'm excited to share my new favorite pancake-making tool: the Kitchen collection GX-22CP pan from Chijik stores. It's Maslenitsa season, and I'm all about making fluffy pancakes!
Brand: Kitchen collection
Country of origin: China
Diameter: 22 cm.
Material: aluminum, bakelite
Price: 599 rubles (but I scored it cheaper during a sale =)
Let's be real, I used to love making pancakes as a kid. My mom taught me how to mix the batter and pour it onto the pan. But flipping them? That was her specialty – I was more of a 'crumpled pancake' kind of kid!
As I got older, I learned to flip them, but the fear of ruining a pancake stayed with me.
Of course, recipe plays a big role in making perfect pancakes (which is why my favorite cookbook, 'Household Alchemy,' starts with a pancake recipe!). But the pan itself is crucial too.
When I got my mom this pan as a gift, I found the perfect recipe, and – oops! – forgot to add eggs, but ended up with delicious pancake sandwiches instead. Stay tuned for the full story!
MY PURCHASEI'm not one to usually sing the praises of a particular store, but Chizhik is different. They're known for their affordable prices on everything from food to household items. I recently picked up a heart-shaped waffle iron (which I used to make a Valentine's Day heart-shaped cake), a great sandwich press, and a random vacuum sealer.
When I saw the pancake skillet at Chizhik near my place, I initially... didn't buy it! I was grabbing something else, and I only had a limited amount of cash. It was priced at 599 rubles. The next day (or the next), I went back for it to buy as a gift for my mom (she didn't have a pancake skillet), and I found out it was now cheaper - around 400 rubles. Of course, I bought it!
By the way, I also bought a tea infuser (twice): one of them cracked on my gas stove... but that's a whole other story
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DESIGN
The skillet wasn't packaged in a box - it just sat on the stand with the other skillets... But, I have to say, each one was wrapped individually in a paper bag with a layer of foam underneath (like underlayment).
I was happy to see that the pan comes with a information sticker on the front, where you pour the batter.
This pan is super versatile - it works with all types of stovetops, including induction. I've got a gas stove, so that's a plus for me!
The sticker is stuck on with a removable adhesive, so it's easy to take off without scratching the surface.
Before first use, I washed the pan with a soft sponge and some gentle soap. The surface is smooth and even - a big plus!
Compared to another pan I've got, this one has a slightly lower center.
The pan itself has a nice, even anthracite color and a low rim, making it easy to flip and remove the pancakes.
The walls of the pan are pretty thick, measuring 3.5mm.
I measured the weight of the pan with my trusty electronic caliper from Fix Price. And, of course, I couldn't help but think of a joke: 'Where can I find a standard caliper?' 'Try the Reichskanzler's department store.'
But seriously, the pan weighs a mere 552 grams.
I've got to say, the aluminum construction of this pan is a real winner - it's surprisingly lightweight, especially when you compare it to those heavy cast iron skillets. As the joke goes: 'Today, comrades, your task is to load the lumens!' 'No, comrade sergeant, not the lumens - the aluminum!' 'Right! The aluminum! And those guys who have to lug those heavy cast irons around at night?'
The handle is made of Bakelite, which is nice and durable.
The design is actually pretty sleek, with a dark wood finish that looks great.
And at the bottom, there's a screw that lets you attach it to a metal stand. It's pretty clever, actually - you just slide it into the metal sleeve:
Yeah, it did get caked on - and I couldn't scrub it off =( I need to try soaking it in active oxygen, which is a good thing since I buy it by the canisters. Now, the pancake pans themselves have pretty low sides (presumably to make it easier to slide the pancake right onto a plate from the pan). But this one's got a nice little lip for the handle:
I've gotta admit, I haven't tested the bakelite handle for durability, but I did manage to snap the handle off my previous Kukmara pan - and it was because I'd accidentally set it on fire... ('Cooking!' - a la the movie 'Pokrovsky Gates') So basically, if your handle's gone up in flames, it's not the bakelite's fault - it's just quietly smoldering and charring, but it won't catch fire. The underside (still not cleaned off, ugh)
MY TAKEAWAYS Using this pan has been a real pleasure! It's not heavy, so I can hold it in one hand and pour in the batter with the other:
The moment I even managed to get a slightly toasted pancake, everything went smoothly: By the way, I used my trusty Tefal frying pan spatula to flip the pancakes: But this spatula only seems to be good for spreading creams and mixing cold foods - it melts on the pan! The pancakes are rising nicely:
One thing I love about this pan is that the food doesn't stick to it,
It's incredibly easy to remove food, even sticky things like fish fillets from Fix Price:
It's also super wide, making it a breeze to flip pancakes: RECIPE #1Okay, I know I said I'd share a simple recipe, but I couldn't resist sharing a quick and delicious recipe for a cheesy breakfast! Even a mixer isn't needed)
Ingredients:
1 egg
100g flour
200ml milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1-2 tbsp
Herbs (parsley, cilantro) - to taste, I used about 1/3 bunch
The key to this recipe is the ratio: 1 egg to 100g flour and twice as much milk (200ml). If you want to feed a family of three, just double the ingredients.
I like to add my eggs, milk, flour, salt, sugar, and vegetable oil to the bowl in any order I feel like. Then I just whisk it all together with a whisk.Next, I add some chopped fresh herbs - I used a mix of parsley and dill, but I have to say, I'm a big fan of cilantro. Parsley is pretty neutral, dill is a bit brighter (and, in my opinion, more salty), and cilantro has a slightly tangy flavor that actually makes me hungrier.
I give it a good stir and let it sit for about 15 minutes.
During that time, I get my two crepe pans heated up - one's a Chizhik hero, and I'll tell you more about the other one in another review. Then I ladle it out: RECIPE #2 - Crepe 'Khachapuri'I like to call these 'blinis with a filling', but the name 'khachapuri' stuck because of their similarity - they're also a cheesy flatbread.
For this one, you'll need your already-prepared first recipe dough, a 200-gram block of cheese grated on a coarse grater, and some sliced sausage. Most of the pics show cooked sausage, but you can also use pepperoni - it's a bit spicy, which adds a nice kick to the dish.
Because the sausage is sliced super thin, the khachapuri turns out super thin too. I make the blini with greens the same way I always do,
I flip them and on top of one half, I put the cheese first, then the sausage: I grease the skillets with a little bit of vegetable oil using a silicone brush. I think it's not necessary to use oil with this skillet, but to me, it's just more reliable with oil. You can leave out the sausage, you can leave out the greens – it won't be any worse. But with sausage, it's more filling, and with greens, it's fresher tasting. The main ingredient is the cheese, which, by the way, I absolutely love. The cheese starts melting quickly on the hot skillet.
Then I cover the filling with the other half and let it cook some more:
I started with one side, then flipped it over to the other. As you can see, the cheese didn't leak out. But even if that happens, it doesn't stick to the pan at all.
I repeated this process with the remaining test.
When I had two pancake pans on hand, things went a lot faster.
While one pan was heating up and cooking a pancake, I could already start adding fillings to the other. And that's how it went – back and forth between the two pans.These pancakes turn out super appetizing and golden brown:
I plate up the finished khachapuri pastries:
Using the specified amount of ingredients (doubled), I get 10 finished khachapuri:
This amount is more than enough for a family of three - even a few extras for lunch are left over
I enjoy eating them for breakfast with sour cream:
What Happens If You Forget the Eggs? Well, I had a situation where I got distracted and FORGOT to put the two eggs in the batter. I mixed it up as usual, added the herbs, salt, and sugar, and so on. Then I cooked it... And it was a struggle, but it managed to stay on the pan. I couldn't understand what was going on, but I kept cooking. Same story again. Logically, I knew it needed eggs, but I was sure I had taken two out of the pack! And there they were, sitting on the counter... (facepalm...). Of course, I added them right away. But the fact that the pan was able to cook the pancake batter without any eggs and not tear it apart was a major plus for this pan. The pancake wasn't perfect, but it stayed on the surface and didn't break apart like a pancake with eggs in the mix.
The Verdict This Chizhik pancake pan is a game-changer! Nothing sticks, nothing burns, it's lightweight and easy to use. With this pan, you can make pancakes way more often, not just on Shrovetide!
My Kitchen Helpers:This Telescopic Spatula for Easy Cake Removal
This pastry comb set really cuts into the dough and helps even out the filling.
My video on how to easily create beautiful pastries with this dough scraper (it works with some dough, but not others?)