It’s the *beigest* time of the year and if you’re not consuming a stupid amount of batter morning, noon and night and working the kitchen a la Matilda, you’re doing Pancake Day all wrong, lads.
Whilst the stuff straight from the bottle is a lifesaver for forgetful/lazy girls everywhere (@me), nothing beats the fluffy American sort made with your own fair hands. They will always reign supreme in the upper echelons of pancake hierarchy.
With that in mind, we’re sharing three ways to whip up a 5* stack this Shrove Tuesday so if you like your eggs cracked into a bed of milk and flour, then hit save on Zoe’s all-time favourite – and easy to follow – recipe, courtesy of the pancake king himself Jamie Oliver. Crepe fans, step aside!
SERVES 4
PREP:
15 MINS
COOK:
20 MINS
EASY
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
- 6 Large Free Range Eggs
- 230g Plain Flour
- 2 Heaped Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 280ml Milk
- 2 Pinches of Salt
- Icing sugar & caster sugar for dusting
(Makes: 9 large pancakes)
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks and place in separate bowls.
- Whisk egg whites with salt until it has formed stiff peaks (use a hand mixer to save time).
- In the other bowl, add sifted flour to egg yolks, followed by baking powder and milk.
- Beat together until mixed well. Fold the egg white mixture into this bowl, being careful not to lose too much air so it stays fluffy and whipped.
- Using a ladle, spoon the mixture into a non-stick frying pan on a medium to low heat (too hot and the pancakes won’t cook properly throughout and will burn in places). No need for butter or oil – just make sure your pan is pancake-friendly so it won’t stick.
- After a couple of minutes, when you notice little bubbles popping to the surface, it’s time to flip the pancake. Use a plastic spatula and make sure the pancake has loosened from the pan before flipping. The pancakes should be an even golden colour.
· Place them in a stack on a plate ready for fillings and toppings.
Once you’ve got the batter recipe down, you can graduate to fillings and decorations. Whether you’re a traditional gal or a fiend for a mukbang challenge, these three toppings are guaranteed to make sure you lock lips with a top tier pancake in 2022.
Fruit & Yoghurt
Gorgeous, gorgeous girls do their morning pages and eat pancakes with fruit and yogurt. Fill each layer of your stack with a dollop of tangy Greek yoghurt, top with fresh berries, a generous drizzle of honey or syrup and a light dusting of icing sugar. Sublime!
The Chocolate Overdose
Pancakes for breakfast? That sounds a lot like deprivation to us. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is the only MO for Shrove Tuesday. Pancake Day comes but once a year so bosh them in all their stunning iterations and die full, happy and bloated.
Smother each pancake with a layer of Nutella, a handful of mini marshmallows and white chocolate chips for 11/10 texture and taste. Drizzle chocolate dipping sauce on top and finish with a smattering of your favourite chocolate (Zoe’s gone for Bitsa Wispa) for a decadent dessert destined to have you chanting Bruce, Bruce, Bruce. Gobble ‘em down like tomorrow doesn’t exist and regret nothing.
The Classic
If it ain’t broke! It wouldn’t be P Cake Day without the power couple of all power couples: lemon and sugar. Tart but sweet, it’s a firm favourite with those who prefer their pancakes on the plainer side but still fluffy, puffy and good as hell. When it comes to the lemon, a fresh squeeze is the way to go. Slice up a lemon and fan on top of your stack for Jamie Oliver style pizzaz and easy-access to more juice should you need a drop more citrus going on. Dust with caster sugar and eat them steaming hot whilst thinking about the imminent arrival of Bridgerton Season 2. Epic brunch? Completed it.
