Air fryer pancake hack that helps make a stack at one go has the internet cheering

Air fryers are a good investment. Compared with deep-frying or using a pan, an air fryer can reduce the amount of fat and calories in your favorite food. Not only this, but they also save a massive amount of time and money. Social media users are always in awe of the surprising things that can be cooked in an air fryer, from steaks to apple fritters. And now, pancakes too! Just after Pancake Day on February 21, one recipe claims to cook a stack of pancakes in an air fryer. A video posted on TikTok by Currys uses a Tefal Easy Fry air fryer to cook six fluffy pancakes, reports The Independent. 

I mean, how convenient is that? The pancakes are later taken out from the air fryer and look perfectly cooked before they are presented onto a plate with chocolate syrup poured on top. The video released the recipe after the sales of air fryers rose by 350 percent, with the price for the appliance on the retailer’s website increasing by 800 percent. As the cost of living crisis continues to hit people harder than ever, air fryers have become a more energy-efficient cooking method. It heats up more quickly than an oven and cooks food in a short amount of time, saving energy in the process. The video was uploaded on Twitter, with many trying the viral recipe.  

@Tani-twetz wrote: “I was so anti-air fryers because who wants to eat dry chips and chicken, now that I see what more you can do with them, I’m reconsidering and I’m thinking of adding one to my cart.” @Lala2Gunz said: "Air Fryers were sent from the heavens. My oven broke around Thanksgiving (the stovetop still worked) and I made the majority of the dinner in my air fryer. Here’s how my baked mac turned out. I was in awe." However, some people who tried the hack are calling it fake. Some say that the baking paper should have been burnt due to the heat but in the video, it looked untouched. "Before y’all go ruining good pancake mix, this is FAKE! Someone tried it on YouTube and it did not work. And this isn’t the only time I’ve seen it debunked," said @IGawtTheDoorTor.

"The baking sheets are not oiled when placed in the fryer, so the batter will stick to the paper, leaving raw, sticky centers. The patterns are also pretty typical of a frypan’s work, so this DID NOT HAPPEN," added @texnicolor. "Those were 100% cooked in a pan, not an air fryer. You can tell by the cooked circles in the pancakes. The inner circle is the smallest and then expands outwards larger to the outside of the pancake. That’s a signature heat sign that you get only by cooking in a pan," penned @Whisky_Coffee21. They recommend using a greaseproof paper with butter or oil before pouring batter on top, and adding butter on top of the topmost pancake “when it was about half-way cooked through.”

Currys also asked everyone to select the air fryer program at 200C and to bake the pancakes for at least five minutes before flipping them halfway for the best results. According to Forktospoon, who has a whole recipe for air fryer pancakes, say "Making pancakes in the air fryer is more straightforward than making them on the stovetop. Plus, your pancakes will be extra crispy – thanks to the hot air circulating them." You'd never know unless you try for yourself, so maybe this is your sign.