Pancakes fall apart what to do. Pancakes are thick and torn what to do

Many people love pancakes, of course - this simple delicacy can be made in a matter of minutes, and the consumption of products is minimal. But sometimes in the process of cooking, the hostesses face difficulties. What to do if the pancakes do not work out - they burn, tear or come out tasteless?

The main thing is not to get upset. It is better to learn more about the possible causes of failures and how to eliminate them.

Causes

As a rule, pancakes fail due to mistakes made at the stage of kneading and frying. Let's take a closer look at the most common problems.

"Rubber" pancakes

The phrase "rubber" pancakes means their excessive rigidity, which becomes more noticeable after cooling. Why is this happening?

Possible reasons:

Too much flour. A thick, heavy dough, especially if there is little baking powder in it, will make the pancakes "rubber" or they will not turn out at all. If you notice that the mass is thicker than necessary, while stirring it, you can add a little water at room temperature.
Excess eggs. In order not to spoil the pancakes, follow the proportions of the recipe.
Mixing errors. Excessive whipping eliminates micro-air bubbles that give looseness. This will change the dough for the worse and make the pancakes tough. If there are lumps, gently break them with a spoon.
The dough was kneaded only on water. Whey, milk or kefir in moderation are required.
The milk was too fatty. An undesirable effect is possible with the addition of a high-fat dairy product. Therefore, such milk is diluted with water before adding to the dough.

Pancakes burn

Sticky and burning pancakes are a fairly common problem. But it's easy to deal with.

One of the reasons is a lot of sugar in the dough. If you added it "by eye", you should try to put less.

As practice shows, pancakes burn less often if the pan is thick-walled and made of cast iron or aluminum. The effect is achieved due to the fact that when frying, a fatty film forms on the surface of these materials. It is advisable not to wash the cast iron pan, it is enough to clean it dry by wiping it with a soft cloth and salt.

If you have a Teflon coating, you can prevent burning by pouring a little boiling water into the dough before frying. Also, for any frying pan, the rule applies - use it only for pancakes and heat it well beforehand.

Also, pay attention to the amount of oil for frying. Pancakes should not float in it, but a dry frying pan increases the chances of burning, so you need to add oil periodically. If it is already added to the dough, topping up is needed only on the first 2-3 pancakes.

A good result is the use of fresh lard instead of butter. To prevent pancakes from sticking, lightly grease the hot frying pan with a piece pricked on a fork. The action is repeated before each new pancake.

It is important to note that if the pancake is already stuck, it is not enough just to remove it before continuing to fry. The pan needs to be washed, reheated and greased.

Pancakes are too thick

Pancakes can harden if not brushed with butter or sunflower oil after baking. A small amount is enough.

Other reasons are lack of oil in the pan and excessively long frying. For pancakes, medium gas on the burner is optimal.

In addition, in the process of frying, ready-made pancakes must be kept covered (under a plate or lid). Wrapping stuffing in them immediately after baking will also keep the product soft.

Pancakes are torn

Often when flipping pancakes are torn. The reasons can be commonplace - an uncomfortable pan (high sides) or lack of skills.

But more often pancakes are torn due to improper kneading of the dough. It should not be too liquid or too thick, from an excess of baking powder (special or ordinary soda), pancakes are torn too. Adding vegetable oil is desirable (2-3 tablespoons), this will prevent the pancakes from burning and tearing when turning over.

In order for the gluten in the dough to swell and fully hold it together, do not start cooking right away. It should be allowed to sit for at least 15 minutes.

The very technique of frying and turning pancakes also affects the result. First, the pan should be hot enough to check this - sprinkle water on it. Hissing indicates readiness for work. In special frying pans, to simplify the task, there is an indicator in the center that changes color when heated.

Secondly, so that the pancakes do not tear when turned over, their diameter should be slightly smaller than the pan. So prying them with a spatula is much easier.

Thirdly, choose the right moment to flip. If the top side is no longer liquid, and the edge of the bottom has begun to blush, the time has come. Make sure that the pancake is easily separated and carefully turn it over with a spatula, you can additionally hold it with a table knife so as not to wrinkle.

Pancakes are tasteless

If you want fluffy pancakes, it is better to knead the dough in water. But the best taste is obtained by adding milk. Those who do not like fried pancakes should put a minimum of sugar.

How to avoid mistakes?

And finally, some more useful tips. In order for the pancakes to turn out “perfectly”, you need:

Check the freshness of all products and do not use spoiled ones.
Lightly heat and dilute the milk with water before adding to the dough. It is better if it is natural, and not dry powder.
Do not add or put in a small amount of ingredients that are not related to the main recipes - cocoa, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and the like. Due to their excess, pancakes can tear and stick.
Avoid using egg powder, and beat fresh eggs well beforehand.
Dissolve salt and sugar in water, and add to the mixture already in the form of a liquid.
Don't forget to sift the flour before adding it to the dough.
Eliminate lumps if they form during mixing.
Know that the oil is always poured last into the already prepared mixture.
Pour the dough with a medium-sized ladle or a small ladle so that the pancakes do not turn out too big and thick. At the same time, a uniform distribution of the mass in the pan is achieved by quickly shaking it in different directions.
Have a separate frying pan for pancakes, not used for cooking other dishes.

If your pancakes don’t work out and tear or their taste leaves much to be desired, you need to analyze the recipe, kneading and baking technology. This is usually enough to find and eliminate the "weak spot". Everyone has failures, but we hope that our tips will help turn your pancakes into a culinary masterpiece.

Useful video on why pancakes stick to the pan and tear

If there are people in the world who do not like pancakes, it is only because they have never tried them. What could be better than a stack of ruddy hot pancakes emitting fragrant steam? And all the more offensive to the hostess when her delicate delicious masterpieces, even cooked according to all the rules, begin to tear. Indeed, why are pancakes torn, in which so much love and care has been invested? Poorly heated frying pan? Too thick? Wrong dough?

To cook openwork thin pancakes, you need to know the secrets of their preparation

First flour products

Pancakes are perhaps one of the most ancient types of flatbread. At the very beginning of their history, they were made only from water and flour, then restless humanity began to improve such a simple and tasty dish. And not only Russian people had a hand in creating pancake masterpieces. Similar dishes, only with different names, are among the French, Mongols, Chinese, British, Indians, Ethiopians.

And from a simple mixture of flour and water, today's pancakes are also far gone. Now in the arsenal of a modern housewife there are recipes for dough on milk, kefir, mineral water, on boiling water, with soda, with salt, on rice flour, on yeast, buckwheat, carrot, apple ... And it is also a symbol of the sun, so pancakes are always baked on Maslenitsa helping the sun bring spring faster.

Different peoples of the world have their own recipes and secrets for making pancakes.

What is pancake dough made of?

The composition of the dough for classic pancakes is extremely simple: flour, eggs, milk. Salt and sugar to taste. And then the very details begin that make an ordinary cake a culinary masterpiece and will not allow it to tear:

Flour. Most often, ordinary wheat flour is used. The higher the grade, the thinner and more delicate they will be. There is also a special pancake flour. During production, soda or baking powder, milk powder, sugar, salt, and everything else the manufacturer wants to make their product unique are added to it. In such a composition, you can simply add water - and in a frying pan. Making good dough on your own is a little more difficult, but the taste of pancakes made from fresh ingredients will make up for all the time and effort lost. You can choose buckwheat, corn, rice flour, but each of them requires a special approach. If it is not enough, then pancakes can be torn, regardless of the type and grade of flour.
Eggs. They come in different varieties and sizes. There are recipes without eggs at all (brewed with boiling water). You can use one or more eggs. The taste and quality of the dough from this change greatly. For example, 1-2 eggs will make pancakes openwork, and if you overdo it with eggs, you get a rubber cake. With a lack of eggs, pancakes can break. It is impossible to specify the exact number of eggs - they come in completely different sizes. Will have to experiment a little.
Milk. Not only milk is suitable, you can limit yourself to plain water or take kefir. There are recipes that use mineral water - it will make products thin and delicate. It is better to use milk at room temperature - the flour will dissolve more easily and there will be fewer lumps. If you are making dough with yeast, then the milk needs to be slightly warmed up. There is a chance that pancakes will tear when folding if the dough is too thick. You can try to roll them warm (cooled ones tear more often) or dilute the dough a little with water or kefir.

Pancake Dough Includes Simple Ingredients

There are many recipes with various ingredients. But you will have to figure out the proportions yourself. Try making a small amount of dough and remember (or write down) the proportions. Fry a test pancake, roll it up. Doesn't tear? Hooray, you have a personal perfect recipe.

How and what to fry

So, the dough is ready. Can you pour it into the pan? Yes, in no case, if you do not want your pancake to break. You need to let the dough stand a little, “rest”. Flour takes time to become sufficiently sticky. In our case, ten minutes at room temperature is enough (or more) so that the products do not tear. Only after the dough has rested, you can take on the pan.

The temperature of the pan also matters. On a cold surface (not heated enough), it simply will not work to bake a pancake, it will be half-baked and will definitely tear. In an overheated pan, a pancake can burn, which will add color to it, but it is unlikely to please the hostess. How long it takes for the pan to reach the desired temperature, it is impossible to say for sure. Much depends on the pan itself and the selected temperature regime.

A cast iron skillet is ideal. And the older she is, the better. There are special frying pans with low sides, a thick bottom and a non-stick coating. In any case, a thick bottom and a flat surface are important - this will ensure uniform heating and the same thickness of the product. A well-baked and not burnt pancake will definitely not tear.

Even the most ideal frying pan can fail if you do not grease it (a piece of lard, vegetable or butter). This method works well - right into the dough at the end of cooking, add a little vegetable or melted butter (or you can do a little of both).

During frying, you will have to stir the dough regularly, because the oil strives to float to the surface. But as a result, pancakes will turn over well, will not stick to the pan and will not tear. The pan itself can be lubricated only once - at the very beginning, and always with vegetable oil (butter will burn).

Cooking dough for pancakes does not take much time

The next factor affecting strength is a variety of additives (vanillin, cocoa powder, some spices). There is a chance that pancakes with such additives will tear when rolled or even turned over.

Summing up

The reasons why pancakes are torn can be easily eliminated:

Batter. Few eggs or flour, a lot of water, milk or kefir. Beat in another egg, bake a test pancake. If the situation does not improve, add flour and mix it well so that there are no lumps.
Unheated skillet. Thoroughly clean the pan of sticky or torn pancake. It's better to do this with a paper towel rather than water. Lubricate the surface with vegetable oil (grease, do not pour), wait until it heats up well.
Various supplements. Try mixing some of the dough with the additions in a separate bowl and bake a test version. If it is not torn, feel free to add the selected products.

You can add various ingredients to the pancake dough and diversify the home menu

A few important little things that will make pancakes tastier and prevent them from tearing:

flour needs to be sifted, this will saturate it with air and make it easier;
it is desirable that all ingredients are at room temperature;
do not put too much sugar, pancakes will burn and tear;
pour vegetable oil into the dough (about two tablespoons per half liter of milk or kefir);
let the dough rest, the stickiness will increase and the pancakes will not tear;
do not rush to turn over until holes appear and the edges dry out - an underbaked pancake is easily torn;
put the pan on high heat first, and then reduce it before baking.

Learn the secrets of making pancakes and be sure to please your household

If the pancakes are torn, do not give up. A little effort will easily fix the situation. After all, no one is born a talented cook, everyone makes mistakes. But it's not worth it to give up ruddy appetizing pancakes and well-deserved praise from your family.

Typical mistakes of young housewives when baking pancakes

Insufficiently heated or dirty pan.

For baking pancakes, you need to take a cast iron or aluminum pan. The pan must be washed well and ignited with salt. A dirty surface can be the reason "why pancakes stick to the pan". Before baking, it is very important to heat the pan well. For pancakes, it is better to have a special pan for frying and not use it for other purposes. Suppose, if meat was fried before, it is very difficult to wash the surface of the pan clean and the pancakes will not come off well.

Dry frying pan (little oil)

For 1 pancake, you need to use at least 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. On a dry surface, the dough will burn and stick.

There are few eggs in the dough

Many inexperienced housewives complain that “pancakes break when turned over,” but at the same time they save eggs. But it is this ingredient that serves to glue the dough.

"Important! For good pancakes, you need to put at least one egg per glass of flour.

Dough is runny or thick

To prepare the dough, first mix the eggs with a little water and a pinch of salt. Gradually add flour there and rub with a spoon. At the first stage, the dough should be like thick sour cream. So you can grind the lumps well. Then gradually add water to the dough so that it becomes like thick milk.

"The secret of the mistress. You need to turn the pancakes with a wide metal spatula.

The dough didn't rise

In order for the flour to completely dissolve and the pancakes to turn over well, you need to put the finished dough for half an hour to settle.

Baking the simplest and most delicious pancakes

Components for the dough (serving 10 pieces)

eggs - 1 pc.;
flour - 10 tablespoons;
water - about 1.5 cups. The dough is diluted with water as needed;
salt - 1 pinch.

We prepare the dough in the way indicated above. To bake, place a skillet over medium heat and heat well. For one pancake, you need to use 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil. Spread it evenly over the surface of the pan. Pour the dough with a ladle, a thin layer and bake. Turn it over to the other side with an iron spatula or knife. For each next pancake, you need to pour 1 tbsp. a spoonful of oil. Then it will be soft and ruddy.

Your first pancake will be experimental. When baking, you will see how the dough turned out.

Pancakes need to be turned over a couple of times to cook well. Fold the pancakes in quarters or in a stack so they don't dry out.

Housewives have an ambiguous attitude towards pancakes, or rather, their baking. Some people think that baking pancakes is easy. Others do not even undertake this troublesome business.

And all because pancakes are an unpredictable dish, and sometimes they tend to burst. And the “lump” is obtained not only the first pancake, but also subsequent ones.

In fact, even a novice hostess can learn how to bake pancakes. The main thing is to remember only a few simple rules for preparing this dish, as well as to get acquainted with the reasons why pancakes do not work out. For example, they are torn when turning over.

Incorrect amount of flour

The taste of pancakes depends on the ingredients that are added to the dough. Pancakes are made with milk and kefir. They are yeast or on soda. Sometimes, instead of water, kefir or milk, mineral water, beer or even brine are added.

But in each of these recipes, the main place is given to flour. The thickness of pancakes and their strength depend on it.

If you put a lot of flour, the dough will be thick. This means that it will not be able to quickly spread over the pan, and the pancake will come out thick. Such a pancake will eventually turn out to be heavy and, possibly, unbaked. It can be easily turned over to the other side, removed from the pan. But when folding, it will most likely tear.

If you put a little flour in the dough, then during baking it does not seize, it remains liquid, and such pancakes cannot be turned over or removed from the pan without consequences.

Therefore, you must strictly adhere to the recipe, adding as much flour as indicated in it.

But most often the hostess does not rely on the recipe, but kneads the dough for pancakes from the ingredients that are available.

In this case, you first need to combine the eggs with sugar and salt, add half the norm of liquid, mix well. While stirring, gradually add flour. Then dilute the thick dough with the remaining liquid to the desired consistency. It should turn out so that it flows viscous from the ladle, but the trickle should not be thick.

Poor ingredient ratio

Eggs

It is believed that pancakes are torn due to the small number of eggs in the dough. But this is not a completely correct conclusion. There are many recipes with only 2 eggs, but the pancakes are perfect.

It all depends on the stickiness of the flour, thorough mixing of all the ingredients.

And in some recipes, eggs are completely absent. Eggs can not be added to the dough on kefir. But in this case, the dough is recommended to be brewed with boiling water. It becomes elastic, and pancakes do not tear when turned over.

The dough for pancakes on kefir is made a little thicker than on milk or water. Because you need to take into account the density of kefir. So that such pancakes do not turn out to be dense, soda or another baking powder must be added to the dough.

Soda should be mixed with flour, and not quenched in a spoon, as many housewives do. If the soda is quenched with vinegar separately from the flour, then all the gas bubbles that make the dough airy will evaporate before combining with the flour. And then there will be little sense from soda.

If pancakes tear when turned over, you can add 1-2 eggs to the dough. But you need to remember that due to the large number of eggs, pancakes turn out to be tough.

Particular attention should be paid to the preparation of pancakes from yeast dough.

Because of the foam, it is difficult to determine the density of the dough. If little flour is added to such a dough, then pancakes from it will break.

Eggs are necessarily placed in the yeast dough, and they are thoroughly beaten and only then combined with a dough made from half the norm of liquid and a full norm of flour. The dough is kneaded until the lumps disappear completely.

The rest of the liquid is added at the very end of the batch. Such pancakes are baked only after the dough has risen well. It is not stirred before baking, so as not to destroy air bubbles.

Sugar

Sometimes pancakes are torn due to a large amount of sugar. The underside of a pancake made from such a dough quickly begins to fry, and the top remains still raw. It is very difficult to flip such a pancake entirely.

But you should not completely give up sugar, since pancakes without it turn out pale. Therefore, it is enough to put 1-2 tbsp. l. sugar so that the pancakes are moderately sweet, but not burnt.

Oil

To make pancakes easily turned over and removed from the pan, vegetable oil is poured into the dough.

Sometimes housewives believe: the more oil is poured into the dough, the easier the pancakes will be removed from the pan. But it has the opposite effect. When baking pancakes, the oil begins to boil, the dough bubbles, its integrity is broken, and as a result, the pancakes are torn.

Therefore, it is enough to pour no more than 40-50 g of oil into the dough - just enough so that the pancakes turn out to be moderately fatty and do not stick to the pan.

Pan

The quality of pancakes depends on the right pan.

An ideal option for baking is a pancake pan. It has low sides, it heats up well and cools down quickly. It is enough just to first lightly spread it with butter, and then calmly bake pancakes.

If there is no such pan, you need to take a cast-iron or old "grandmother's" pan with a thick bottom. No wonder grandmothers make pancakes perfect.

So that the pancakes do not tear when turning over, before each new portion of the dough, the pan is smeared with a piece of lard, chopped on a fork, or vegetable oil with a brush.

It is not recommended to pour oil into the pan from a bottle, because then the dough does not stick to the surface of the pan, but rather “flows” to one edge. At the same time, the oil begins to bubble, dilutes the dough, and the pancake breaks when you try to turn it over.

Note to the owner

To make pancakes perfect, a personal frying pan must be allocated for them.
Before pouring the first portion of the dough, the oiled frying pan must be heated to a barely noticeable haze, then removed from the stove for 5-6 seconds. And only after that pour the dough. Bake pancakes over medium heat.
Do not be upset if the first pancake turned out to be “lumpy”. Usually it is used to judge how much dough to pour into the pan. If necessary, add more flour or, conversely, make the dough thinner. By the way, you can not add flour to the whole dough, as it will be difficult to get rid of lumps. It is necessary to pour a little dough into another bowl, mix thoroughly with flour and only then combine with the rest of the dough.

And the last. Having scraped off a sticky pancake from a frying pan, it is not enough just to wipe it. It must be washed well, calcined, and then re-greased with oil. And, most importantly, to believe that everything will work out!

Pancakes are a hearty and nutritious dish. They can quickly and satisfyingly feed a large family or guests. For every housewife cooking pancakes is a unique process. Someone bakes them easily and quickly, while other housewives are afraid to even start cooking or constantly wonder why pancakes are torn.

The reason for the excitement is the sticking of the dish to the pan and the violation of integrity when turning over. This can be avoided if you know the causes and ways to eliminate them.

History of the dish

Pancakes are a traditional Russian dish. Thanks to its simple recipe, it was considered a wonderful delicacy in every family. The first mention of the dish in Rus' dates back to the 9th century. At the beginning of 11, the recipe became widespread and appeared on the menu of every housewife.

Historians believe that the first pancake appeared from oatmeal jelly. The hostess put him to warm himself on the stove, but forgot. As a result, jelly turned into a ruddy appetizing cake. They began to practice the culinary masterpiece on hot stones and on red-hot clay coasters.

Pancakes have improved every decade. It became the main delicacy at the Maslenitsa holiday. The dish was baked in huge quantities, treated to all guests and passers-by. Thus, they commemorated the deceased family member and saw off the winter. Pancakes resemble the sun in their color and shape, therefore in ancient times they were associated with the pagan god of light Yarilo.

Today, pancakes are a culinary product. It is baked or pan fried. The batter is browned, turned over and turned into a round thin cake. The dish is used with a huge variety of fillings.

Pancakes tear when turned over: possible causes

The aroma of freshly baked thin pancakes makes you run to the kitchen with enthusiasm. They can easily treat a large group of friends, have a wonderful conversation over tea. But the fragrant dish is quite unpredictable. Pancakes may tear during the turning process, sticking to the pan.

There are quite a few reasons for this:

Wrong choice of frying pan. Utensils play an important role in cooking. If the pan has scratches and other defects, then it is unlikely that you will be able to turn the pancake over without tearing it. To make the dish perfect, you should use a cast-iron "grandmother's" pan with a thick bottom. It is advisable to buy a pancake. This is a special dish with low sides. This pan heats up quickly and cools down quickly as well. When turning the toasted dough, the product will retain its integrity.
Quantity and type of flour. There are hundreds of pancake recipes. They are made on kefir, milk, water, mineral water and even beer. But the most important ingredient is flour. The taste and strength of the pancake depends on its quality and quantity. If you put a little flour, then the dough will turn out liquid. It will not be possible to turn it over - it will tear. To avoid this, attention should be paid to the consistency of the flour. The dough should be moderately viscous and dense. When draining from a spoon, it should slowly pour in a thin stream. To achieve this effect, the dough must be infused for 30-40 minutes before cooking.
An abundance of sugar. If you add this ingredient in large quantities, then one side will quickly fry, and the top will remain raw. That is why you should put sugar strictly according to the recipe.
Pancakes tear when turned over if there is a lot of soda in the dough. It gives looseness to the product, which makes it difficult to keep the whole circle.
If the pancakes stick to the pan and tear, it may be due to lack of oil. It must be added to the dough. In order for the dough to be whole when turning, the pan must be lubricated each time. This is done with a special brush or napkin.
Elastic and pliable dough becomes thanks to eggs. Their lack will deprive the product of important qualities. Pancakes are torn - you need to add 1-2 eggs.

When asked why pancakes are torn, the answer is simple - the wrong ratio of ingredients or the wrong choice of pan. But the reason may be in the products.

Round solar cakes are prepared only from fresh proven ingredients. Then, when turning over, integrity will be preserved.

Flour of the highest grade. (Not necessarily wheat. An excellent snack will come from buckwheat, corn or oat flour);
Eggs are not older than 10-15 days;
Quality oil;
Purified water;
Kefir, which is more than 4 days. (Openwork cakes are not obtained from fresh kefir.)

Why do pancakes stick to the pan

One of the common cooking difficulties is sticking to the pan. The dish loses its charm and appeal. Any housewife wants to skillfully bake them.

Why do cakes stick when hot:

Insufficiently hot frying pan;
Little oil in the pan;
Too liquid dough;
An excess of spices (sugar, vanillin, cinnamon);
Lack of oil in the dough;
Wrong ratio of ingredients;
Incorrect frying pan material.

What to do so that the pancakes are not torn

Experienced housewives have tried dozens of pancake recipes. Only with experience can you achieve the desired effect and easily bake whole ruddy and thin cakes. Novice housewives ask themselves the question “pancakes are torn, what is missing? or "why do they stick to the pan all the time".

To bake the perfect dish, you must follow a number of rules:

To prepare the dish, you need a dedicated frying pan. On it, except for pancakes, do not cook anything.
Make the dough without lumps. For a uniform consistency, first mix the flour with a part of kefir (milk, sourdough or beer). In the process of stirring, add the rest of the ingredient to the liquid. This reduces the chance of tearing when frying.
The pan needs to be well heated. Then grease with oil and only then pour the dough.
Before each pancake, the pan should be greased with oil. But for the best effect, it is worth making it with a piece of homemade lard.
If the pan has a Teflon surface, then the pancakes are torn when turned over. To avoid this, you need to add a little boiling water to the dough in advance.
Pancakes stick to the surface if baked over high heat. After the frying pan has been ignited, the heat supply should be moderate.
Pancakes can burst from using the wrong utensils. Turning the sun circles is tedious only with a wooden spatula.
The dough must rest for some time. Only then will it become supple and elastic.
Are pancakes bursting? What to add? It's most likely a lack of eggs. Add another one and try again. You do not need to drive in several eggs at once, as the product will turn out to be harsh.
If the circle of dough did not work out, then the pan must be washed and heated again.
To prevent the pancake from tearing, you should gently draw a spatula around the entire product. Only then turn the cake over.

For pancakes that are ideal in shape and taste, you need to start cooking in a great mood. The first craftswomen believed that the dough felt the mood of the cook. Even if the first cakes are not successful, do not despair.

You need to know why pancakes are torn. Avoiding the most common mistakes, you can cook golden thin cakes. They make a wonderful treat for any occasion!