If you're looking for the perfect pancake recipe, we have everything you need right here at The Hut!
Pancake day, Shrove Tuesday or feast day is the last day before lent begins, when people indulge before fasting in the run up to Easter. But it’s also the perfect excuse for us to enjoy pancakes with as many different toppings as we can eat!
The date of pancake day is determined by when Easter falls, it is always 47 days before Easter Sunday to the date changes every year but always falls between the 3rd of February and the 9th of March.
So now we know a little bit about then history behind pancake day, it’s about time we learned how to make the perfect pancake! But first, make sure you have everything you need to make the perfect pancakes.
#1 How to Make Pancakes
Pancakes were originally made using ingredients that people usually had left in their cupboard before lent but also symbolise four significant points that reflect this time of year; eggs for creation, flour as the staff of life, salt as wholesomeness and milk for purity.
Traditional toppings are lemon and caster sugar but there’s nothing stopping you getting creative and topping yours with some golden syrup, chocolate spread, or fruit.
The pancake recipe is very simple but it’s a fine art to make the perfect pancake, we stick to the tried and tested recipe and method below.
Ingredients
This recipe makes around six pancakes:
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup of plain flour (or self-raising flour for American style pancakes)
- 1 large egg
- Pinch of salt
- Vegetable oil or butter for frying
To Make Pancakes
- Beat the eggs with a whisk in a medium size bowl
- Add the milk, salt and flour then whisk until smooth
- If you want to add anything into the mixture, this is the time to do it! Fold in chocolate chips, blueberries or anything else you’d like to. If the batter is too thick, add a little more milk, but not too much!
- Heat a good-quality non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, then use kitchen roll to wipe with a small amount of oil or butter, be very careful of your fingers when doing this (We recommend the Le Creuset 3-Ply Frying Pan for the perfect finish every time!)
- Either use a ladle or transfer the batter to a jug with a spout to pour into the pan when it has heated up. Then move the mixture around until it covers the base of the pan and return to the heat.
- It should take about 30 seconds for the bottom of the pancake to cook, the bottom should be golden brown and the top should be nearly set (the first pancake is notoriously the worst one so don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect!) and then it’s time to flip!
- Ease a large spatula under the pancake and, while holding the pan handle, quickly flip the pancake over. Try to avoid any folds too. If you’re feeling brave, you can try flipping the pancake in the pan! Make sure the top of the pancake is set and there is no oil in the pan that could burn you. Take the pan handle and make sure the pancake is loose by moving the pan around, if it is loose, move it towards to edge of the pan furthest away from the handle. In one quick movement, flick your wrist to flip the pancake and return it to the pan. Remember, practice makes perfect so keep flipping!
- Once fully cooked on both sides, transfer to a plate and serve with whatever toppings your heart desires!
Which Pancake Recipe Will You Choose This Year?
Pancake Recipe Ideas
There are a few different ways you can serve your pancakes, we’ve included a few serving suggestions for you to try out at home...
The Classic
- What could be more classic than a pancake with lemon juice and caster sugar? These work best when you squeeze lemon juice on first, then sprinkle sugar over the pancake. Then roll the pancake up and sprinkle with lemon and sugar again - yum!
- An alternative to the classic is to use a layer of chocolate spread or jam in place of the lemon and sugar.
The Double Decker
- This is great for chocolate lovers, start with one pancake and cover with a layer of chocolate spread. Then add thinly sliced banana, strawberries or any fruit you’d like. Add another pancake (with an optional layer of chocolate spread if you have a sweet tooth) and make a pancake sandwich - you're welcome!
The Stack
- This is the classic American serving, a hefty stack of pancakes topped with maple syrup and optional streaky bacon. The stack works best with smaller pancakes made with self-raising flour instead of plain flour, simply make around 5 pancakes, stack up, then get pouring.
