Recipe: Pancakes

With Pancake Day (or Shrove Tuesday, to use its proper title) fast approaching, I thought it was a perfect time to share my recipe for pancakes! They're really easy to make and make a delicious breakfast - or dessert! The following recipe makes four pancakes in a 7" frying pan - you can double it (or more) if you want more pancakes, and obviously the number will differ if you use a different-size pan!
Start by weighing out 100g flour and sifting it in a bowl. Make a well in the flour and break in one medium egg. Whisk together - this will form a gooey, sticky, unwhiskable mess. That's fine.

Measure out 250ml of milk. Slowly start to add this to the bowl, whisking between additions, until the mixture becomes smooth and easily whiskable. Then add the rest of the milk and continue to whisk for a couple of minutes. Leave the mixture to stand for twenty minutes or so to allow the bubbles to pop - otherwise they'll pop as they cook and you'll end up with holes in your pancakes.

Heat a non-stick frying pan. I don't use any oil or butter, but you can add a small amount if you like. Once the pan is really hot, add a ladle-full of mixture and carefully tilt the pan to spread the mixture out. Fry over a medium heat for a few minutes - once the edges of the pancake start to crisp and lift up, it's time to flip. You can use a spatula to do this if you're not confident, otherwise it's quite easy, you just need to flick your wrist in the right way.

Once flipped, fry for another couple of minutes, until nicely browned, before sliding onto a plate and adding your topping of choice - golden syrup on mine please! Add the next ladle-full of mixture to the pan, and repeat until you run out.

Pancake Day is February 12th, a week tomorrow, pop it in your diary! Will you be making pancakes this year? What are your favourite pancake toppings?

xo