Pancake Day
I love pancakes or crepes (if you must, darling!) anytime of the year but when it comes to pancake day it's just a fantastic excuse to eat as much as you like without the usual guilt! As my sons always ask, "Does this mean we can eat pancakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner?" Who am I to disappoint??
French Crepes - You will need:
125g Plain flour
250ml Milk
2 Eggs
1 tbsp Caster sugar
45g Butter, melted then cooled slightly
Sunflower oil for frying
Paper towel
Preparation:
Put the flour and sugar in a large bowl, whisk in the eggs, gradually adding the milk to produce a batter with a double cream consistency, so not too runny or too thick. Finally, whisk in your melted butter making sure it is not too hot or the mixture will curdle. Transfer to a pouring jug and set aside for 30 minutes. When you're ready, get a frying pan, preferably one that has a low edge so you can get your pancakes out easily. You will also need a palette knife or spatula to turn your pancake over unless you're feeling adventurous and fancy a go at flipping! Pour a little oil in the frying pan, wiping away any excess with a paper towel. Allow the oil to heat in the pan over a medium heat until it reaches smoking point. Now pour in some batter making sure to spread it around by holding the frying pan in one hand and gently tilting it from side to side to spread the batter evenly as you pour it in. Crepes don't take long to cook at all so be ready to flip. You will see the sides brown and come away from the bottom of the pan as the heat cooks the pancake. Use your palette knife and glide it under the pancake so it doesn't stick to the pan. Now push the knife under and the middle of the pancake lift up and flip over very quickly in one action! Put the cooked pancake on a plate and over with a tea towel as you continue making the rest.
Tip: Apart from the regular lemon and sugar, why not try golden syrup, nutella, melted chocolate or even something savoury like roasted veg and hummus!
Drop Scones - You will need:
250g Self-raising flour
225/250ml Milk (you may or may not need all of it)
1 Egg
25g Caster sugar
25g Butter, melted then cooled slightly
Preparation:
As with crepes, put the flour and sugar in a large bowl and add the egg and half the milk, whisk. Gradually add the rest of the milk and the melted butter. Keep whisking to iron out any lumps. You should a thicker consistency, like semi-whipped cream. Transfer to a pouring jug and set aside whilst you prepare your pan. Again, put a little oil in the pan, wiping away any excess and heat on a medium heat until the pan is very hot but not quite smoking. Remember, these are smaller pancakes as as such you can probably make 3 or 4 small ones at once. Pour a little batter into the pan in three or four places and allow to cook for longer than crepes. They should brown on one side and you will see bubbles appear in the batter of the top part of the pancake. Now flip over using a palette knife or spatula. These pancakes are fun to make but can be a little messy as the batter has a tendency to fly around as you flip them over but don't worry, this is normal! Put the made ones in a plate and cover with a tea towel whilst you make the rest.
Tip: At the batter stage, you can add cooked, stewed apples or blueberries and mix in then make the pancakes as normal. Serve with golden syrup, lemon and sugar or butter and jam for a perfect afternoon tea!
