How to make perfect pancakes and three great recipes to try
Master the art of pancake-making this Shrove Tuesday with our step-by-step guide; then try out one of our clever recipes...
Start with a good pancake batter
Put 75g plain flour in a bowl with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar and make a dip in the centre. Whisk 120ml whole milk with 1 egg then whisk gradually into the flour. The batter should have the consistency of single cream so add a little more milk if you need to. Some people swear by resting the batter for a couple of hours – do if you like – but we think it’s fine to use it straightaway
Pick the perfect pan
A heavy non-stick frying pan about 16cm across is best. Heat the pan over a steady medium heat then just before you add the batter brush lightly with melted butter. You can use a pastry brush or just a piece of kitchen paper dipped in the butter.
Pour a little batter in the pan and tilt the pan so the batter coats the bottom. Leave the pancake until you start to see tiny bubbles appearing on the uncooked surface.
To flip or not to flip?
Now you have a choice – you can either flip the pancake in the air using just the pan, or flip with a spatula. If you want to flip with the pan angle it down to the floor slightly holding it in both hands and let the pancake slide to the front of the pan. Now give the pan a quick jerk upwards, the pancake should fly up and over then you can catch it, uncooked side down, in the pan. Cook the other side until pale golden then slide out.
The first pancake will usually fail. It often comes out a bit anemic looking and flabby rather than crisp and golden. Don’t panic! Think of this as your practice one as the pan comes up to proper temperature and you get a feel for the batter.
If you are cooking for a crowd, stack the pancakes on a plate as you cook them with greaseproof paper in between and then reheat in a 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 oven.
Serve the pancakes in the classic way with lemon and sugar, jam or chocolate spread. If you fancy something a bit more adventurous try one of the recipes below...
THREE BRILLIANT WAYS TO USE YOUR PERFECT PANCAKES
Toffee apple and calvados pancakes
30 minutes EASY SERVES 4
butter
unrefined demerera sugar 1 tbsp
apples 3 peeled, cored and cut into wedges
calvados 3 tbsp
pancakes 4
extra-thick cream or vanilla ice cream to serve
dulce de leche or other toffee sauce, warmed to serve
Melt a knob of butter with the sugar in a frying pan. Add the apple wedges and cook until golden and tender. Add the calvados and either flambé or bubble away for 2-3 minutes.
Warm the pancakes, divide the apple mix between them and fold in quarters. Serve 1 or 2 pancakes (depending on size) with a dollop of cream and a drizzle of toffee sauce.
PER SERVING 227 kcals, protein 2.9g, carbohydrate 36.3g, fat 6.1g, saturated fat 3.1g, fibre 2.1g, salt 0.52g
Baked spinach and ricotta pancakes
45 minutes Serves 4 EASY
onion 1 large, halved and sliced
butter
garlic 1 clove, crushed
spinach 1 bag, about 250g, washed
ricotta 1 x 250g tub
lemon 1, zested
parmesan 50g, grated
pancakes 8
tomato pasta sauce 350g jar, good quality
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
Cook the onions in a knob of butter in a large pan, until soft, caramelised and dark golden. Add the garlic and spinach and cook until the spinach is completely wilted. Cool.
Mix in the ricotta, lemon zest and half the parmesan and season. Divide between 8 pancakes and roll each one up to make an evenly-filled tube.
Spread 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Sit the pancakes side by side in the dish (like cannelloni). Pour the rest of the sauce over. Sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and the cheese is golden.
PER SERVING 506 kcals, protein 22.6g, carbs 58.7g, fat 21.7g, sat fat 11.1g, fibre 4.5g, salt 2.59g
Melting brie and mushroom pancakes
20 minutes Serves 2 EASY
butter
mixed mushrooms 250g, sliced
garlic 1 clove, crushed
half-fat crème fraîche 6 tbsp
flat-leaf parsley 1/2 a small bunch, chopped
brie 100g, sliced
pancakes 4
parmesan 2-3 tbsp of grated
green salad to serve
Heat a large knob of butter in a pan and fry the mushrooms with seasoning until tender. Add the garlic halfway through cooking. Stir in 2 tbsp of the crème fraîche and the parsley. Divide the mushrooms between the pancakes, top with the brie and fold up. Put in a butered baking dish and dot the rest of the crème fraîche on top. Scatter over the parmesan and grill until golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad.
PER SERVING 671 kcals, protein 27.1g, carbs 29.6g, fat 49.2g, sat fat 24.7g, fibre 3.7g, salt 1.9g
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