Peking Duck Pancakes (Chun Bing, 春饼)

Make and rest the dough

1. Put flour into a heatproof bowl. Pour in hot water (soon after being boiled). Stir with a pair of chopsticks or a fork until small lumps appear and no more loose flour is left.
2. As soon as cool enough to handle, knead the mixture into a soft, smooth dough (You may also use a stand mixer). 
3. Keep the dough in the bowl. Brush a thin layer of oil over it to avoid drying out. Cover the bowl with a lid and leave to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Prepare the dough pieces

1. Briefly knead the dough again. Then cut it into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a cylinder then divide it into four pieces (You'll end up with 16 pieces). For best results, try your best to divide the dough as evenly as possible.
2. Flatten each piece with the palm of your hand into a small disk. Brush the top of one disk with a layer of oil, then place another disk on top. Repeat to pile up every two dough pieces.

Roll and cook the pancakes

1. With a rolling pin, flatten one pair of disks until they measure about 18cm/7in (flip several times to ensure that two pieces of dough are evenly rolled out). If necessary, lightly oil the surface and the rolling pin to avoid sticking.
2. Heat up a frying pan over medium heat. Transfer the rolled pancakes into the pan. Cover with a lid. As soon as air pockets appear, flip over to cook the other side. Be attentive and adjust the heat if needed. When the pan is too hot, the pancakes will burn easily. If it’s not hot enough, it will take longer to cook and the pancakes will be drier. It should take no more than 2 minutes to cook both sides.
3. Transfer the cooked pancakes onto a plate. Cover with a kitchen towel immediately to keep them soft and pliable.
4. To be efficient, follow a good workflow to cook the rest of the pancakes: While waiting for one pair to cook, roll out another pair. When the first pair is done, the second pair should be ready for the pan.

Serve and store

1. As soon as you finish cooking, separate all the double pancakes into single pieces (Don’t delay this step as they'll become difficult to separate once cooled). Serve them warm with fillings of your choice (check out the recipe for Roast Peking Duck). 
2. Store leftover pancakes in airtight bags in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 1 month or so.
3. To reheat, Steam for 3 minutes if chilled or 6 minutes if frozen. You may also use an oven: Defrost first if frozen. Sprinkle a little water between each pancake. Then wrap them in aluminium foil. Put into a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F. Heat for about 6 minutes.