048 / 75 · Build-at-the-table moments
Sweetcorn Pancake Stacks with Tomato and Yogurt
24 small corn pancakes assembled into 12 two-layer savory stacks · Active 50 min · Cook 40 min · Total 3 hr 5 min (cold service and transport)
Cold-travel planning: 3 hr 5 min; follow the stated cooling endpoint and finishing route.
Print recipe · PDFTwo small corn pancakes become a savory stack with tomato in the middle and yogurt on top. The small size makes the familiar pancake shape feel different on a buffet, while the filling remains simple and recognizable. Cook and chill the pancakes at home, then build only the stacks about to be served.
A stack starts with consistent pancakes
Weigh the mixed batter before cooking so twenty-four small pancakes share the corn evenly. A wide skillet can take four at a time without crowding, and the clock includes six rounds. Keep the raw egg batter covered in the refrigerator while waiting for its turn. The first cooked batch rests on a rack rather than steaming in a pile. For cold transport, chill the pancakes in shallow layers before closing the box.
Tomato is a filling, not a puddle
Seed and dice the tomato, then let it drain briefly with the measured salt and lime. That small step stops juice soaking through the lower pancake. The parsley is stirred into the tomato rather than scattered decoratively at the end, so each portion has the same flavor. A little yogurt on the top makes the stack look finished without turning it into a savory sundae. Serve on small plates with forks, because the two layers are meant to be eaten together.
Ingredients
- 1 can ready-to-eat sweetcorn, drained to give 9 oz (250 g)
- 1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (50 g) fine cornmeal
- 1½ tsp (6 g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt for batter
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 2 large eggs, 100 g without shells
- 1 cup plus 2 tsp (250 ml) milk
- 2 tbsp (30 ml/28 g) neutral oil, divided: 1 tbsp in batter and 1 tbsp across frying batches
- 2 large firm tomatoes, seeded and finely diced, 300 g prepared weight
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice
- ¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine salt for tomatoes
- ¼ cup (10 g) chopped parsley
- 1 cup (240 g) thick plain yogurt made with pasteurized milk
Set out
12 in/30 cm nonstick skillet, Mixing bowl and second jug, Digital scale, Spatula, Food thermometer, Rack over a tray, Shallow refrigerator trays and covered raw-batter bowl, Colander, Two small cold filling bowls, Cooler with ice packs
Allergens
Wheat, Milk, Egg. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, batter salt and cumin. Beat eggs, milk and 1 tbsp oil in the jug. Stir wet into dry and fold in the drained corn. Weigh the batter and divide into 24 equal portions, about 38 g each. Keep the covered waiting batter refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below.
- Heat the skillet over medium heat. Use the remaining 1 tbsp oil sparingly across six batches. Cook 4 pancakes at a time, about 3 in/8 cm wide, for 2–3 minutes per side until set and at least 160°F (71°C) in the center. Remove only the next batter portions from the refrigerator. Transfer cooked pancakes to the rack in a single layer.
- For the planned cold transport route, let steam escape briefly, then refrigerate pancakes in shallow layers until at 40°F (4°C) or below, using a 90-minute planning allowance and extending it as needed until actually cold. Do not leave the full batch on the counter to cool completely. Cover once cold.
- Toss tomato with lime juice and tomato salt, leave 10 minutes and drain. Stir in parsley and refrigerate. Keep yogurt in a separate cold bowl. At the gathering, divide tomato among 12 pancakes, top each with a second pancake and divide the yogurt over the 12 stacks. Assemble only a small batch at a time and serve on plates with forks.
Bring it
Carry pancakes flat in shallow boxes and tomato and yogurt in separate containers, all at 40°F (4°C) or below in a cooler. Pack a small assembly spoon, plates and forks. During packing, travel and display, keep cold food at 40°F (4°C) or below and hot food at 140°F (60°C) or above. Allow no more than 2 hours combined outside those controls, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Discard food beyond that limit.
Finish at the gathering
No appliances are needed for the cold stacks. Allow 5–8 minutes to assemble the first six; keep reserve components cold. If warm pancakes are wanted, confirm an oven beforehand and reheat them to 165°F (74°C), then add only the cold topping being eaten immediately.
Make it yours
The small stacks suit an anniversary brunch or a graduation buffet. A savory ingredient label avoids the assumption that a pancake stack comes with syrup; no sweet topping is part of this recipe.
Ingredient labels
Check baking powder, corn and yogurt labels for additional allergens. This corn-containing recipe also contains wheat flour.
A useful detail
The 185-minute total includes six sequential pan batches, safe shallow chilling and table assembly. A smaller skillet or slower heat requires more time. The two-layer stack is served cold by default; warmed pancakes must be properly reheated before adding chilled toppings. The 90-minute refrigerator interval is a planning allowance, not a maximum; extend it until every pancake is at 40°F (4°C) or below before cold transport.
Another way
- Use 250 g frozen corn instead of canned; cook it for its full package time, drain and cool before mixing, adding that stage to the total.
- Use 10 g finely chopped chives instead of parsley in the tomato filling.
Keep it well
Keep cooked pancakes, drained tomato mixture and yogurt separately at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 2 days; the tomato is best within 1 day for texture. Reheat pancakes to 165°F (74°C) if serving hot, but keep toppings cold. Do not keep assembled stacks for another service. Respect the combined travel-and-display limit in “Bring it.”