Pancakes: tips, tricks and a useful recipe.

Ah, it’s that time of year where everyone will soon be thinking of (and consuming) pancakes. Yum.

Pancakes, it seems, are a little like making someone a cup of tea or coffee. Everyone has their own way and their own method. We reached out to our community on our instagram stories last week to ask some very important pancake questions.

For example, it really was a clear cut 50/50 split between your favoured style of Fluffy American Pancakes, and a Crispy Crepe. Another vital question…your favourite toppings? Some were a classic squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of sugar and others were… well, weird and wonderful! Here’s a round-up of some ‘out of the box’ ideas for your toppings this year. Oh, and keep reading for a simple, fool proof pancake recipe below too.

Making the perfect pancakes. This recipe should make 10-12 pancakes:

Equipment

Mixing bowl and a sieve (or fine colander)
Whisk, fork or a hand blender
Scales
Crepe pan (most pans will get the job done)
Optional: ladle (whatever you find easiest to transfer the mixture from the bowl to the pan)

Toppings equipment

Sharp knife
Chopping board
Your favourite crockery to serve
Optional: Small bowls for toppings if you’re doing DIY serving at the kitchen table

Ingredients

100g plain flour
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of caster sugar
250ml milk
Oil or butter to cook with (we find salted butter adds to the flavour)

Method

Sift 100g plain flour into a mixing bowl and poke a well into the middle of it.
In another bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and 250ml milk.
Pour this mixture into the well, and then use a balloon whisk or electric mixer to beat into a smooth batter.
Preheat your pan over a medium heat, add a little oil to your crepe pan and wipe all over the cooking surface with a paper towel.
Add about a teaspoon of butter to the pan and spread around the base as it foams. Ladle about 3 tablespoons of the pancake batter into the pan, swirling it around to spread.
Cook each pancake for 3-4 minutes, then flip over for a final minute on the other side. Keep the stack warm by covering with foil and placing in a low oven.
Serve with your favourite savoury or sweet toppings. We love classic lemon and sugar… or fried mushrooms with taleggio cheese!

Here are also a few tips and tricks you shared with us:

Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately first
If you have time, let the batter rest for 15-30 minutes
Using a ¼ measuring cup often results in perfectly sized pancakes
Heat your pan up before adding the butter / oil (if you’re using an iron pan, slowly heating over a low-medium heat is often best)
Choose the right time to flip: look for bubbles on top and a slight browning on the edges (for crepe style pancakes)
Accept that there is almost always the first ‘test’ pancake which isn’t always up to scratch (nonetheless still tasty)
Pancakes are great for freezing
Adding in some mashed banana, particularly to a thicker style pancake can be game changing
Don’t forget about all the savoury topping options too!