Flippin Good- Pancake Day
Get your frying pans at the ready folks, February 12 2013 is Shrove Tuesday, another year has come round again when pancake action is hot on our heels. Compelling people to cook up some crepes, pancakes; loaded with whatever toppings we wish for breakfast, lunch or whipping up something fun with the kids.
Shrove Tuesday marks the last day before Lent, traditionally a period of abstinence, associated with clearing your cupboards of goods such as sugar, fats and eggs. It’s commonly known as Pancake Day because it represents a good opportunity to use such ingredients ahead of the fasting period.
With the possibility of Pancake Day dying out, Lyle’s Golden Syrup in the news recently have signed on The Fabulous Baker Brothers to re-ignite the public’s love for pancakes, will see if the ploy works. Here are a few recipes for Pancake Day, healthy morning breakfast alternatives, not just for this day but more regularly as part of a normal breakfast routine.
Basic Crepe Recipe (Adapted from Nigel Slater here)
50g butter melted, plus extra for cooking
100g plain flour
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
350ml milk
Pinch of salt
Melt most of the butter in a small pan and leave it to cool slightly. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl with a good pinch of salt. Drop in the egg and the egg yolk. Pour in the milk, whisking gently as you go and the melted butter (should be the consistency of cream)
Melt some butter for frying in a pan and swirl the pan to cover the bottom. Ladle the batter into the frying pan. Working quickly, tilt the pan so that the batter runs all over the surface, making a round shape. The base should be covered in batter, but not quite thin enough to see through.
Let the crepe cook for a minute or so until the underside is golden and comes easily away from the pan. Lift one edge up with a palette knife and flip it gently over. The base should be cooked in 1 minute, lift it carefully on to a plate. Brush the pan with a little more melted butter and continue until you have used all the batter.
For sweet pancakes, add 1 tbsp of caster sugar to the mixture. Here I have served them with, a dollop of yoghurt, a medley of dragon fruit, strawberry, mango and banana for a tropical breakfast.
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Ingredients
125g plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 egg
250ml buttermilk
50g butter, melted
These take less than 15 minutes to make, for 3-4 servings
Lightly grease a frying pan, mix flour, salt, bicarbonate together in a bowl, add the egg, buttermilk, butter and stir lightly, it doesn’t matter if there are lumps in it, it should be a thick batter.
Ladle a bit of the batter into the pan, you want smaller pancakes not large, thin ones. Use the back to spread the mixture, cook lightly on each side. Finish off with banana, maple syrup, berries or spiced nuts.
Some other Yummy Choo pancake recipes here.. because we do LOVE them so..
http://yummychooeats.com/2011/11/02/buttermilk-pancakes-fruit-cinnamon-spiced-nuts/
Apple & Pear Pancakes
http://yummychooeats.com/2011/09/30/an-indulgent-breakfast-apple-pear-pancakes/
Blintz- Berry Compote & Cream Cheese
http://yummychooeats.com/2012/02/21/blintz-cream-cheese-fresh-berry-compote-for-pancake-day/
Happy Flippin!
Selina x
