Tuesday 8 March 2011

Let's make... Pancakes!

Happy Pancake Day!

I think that the timing of Pancake Day is perfect. It follows hard on the heels of Valentines Day and sets in motion another year of celebrations. It comes at a time when all remnants of Christmas are well and truly gone and the air smells and tastes just that bit sweeter. Is Spring on it’s way perhaps?

It's only 8am but the promise of pancakes is overwhelming! Do you think it's too early..?

Ok, ok, I'll try and make it to lunch time...

I've tried lots of pancake recipes over the years but I'm going to share with you the one I like best. Granted, all the recipes have the same ingredients but I think the key to this one is the method. It's a Delia Smith recipe.

The Pancake mixture:

110g/4oz plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
200ml/7fl oz milk mixed with 75ml/3fl oz water
50g/2oz butter

The Method:

  1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs - any sort of whisk or even a fork will do - incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so.
  2. Next gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don't worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you whisk). When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any elusive bits of flour from around the edge into the centre, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream. Now melt the 50g/2oz of butter in a pan. Spoon 2 tbsp of it into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl and use it to lubricate the pan, using a wodge of kitchen paper to smear it round before you make each pancake.
  3. Now get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with, do a test pancake to see if you're using the correct amount of batter. I find 2 tbsp is about right for an 18cm/7in pan. It's also helpful if you spoon the batter into a ladle so it can be poured into the hot pan in one go. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only half a minute or so to cook; you can lift the edge with a palette knife to see if it's tinged gold as it should be. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife - the other side will need a few seconds only - then simply slide it out of the pan onto a plate.
  4. Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest.
  5. To serve, sprinkle each pancake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Serve sprinkled with a little more sugar and lemon juice and extra sections of lemon.
The nice thing about pancakes is that they can be sweet or savoury, depending what mood you're in. The traditional sugar and lemon always goes down a treat and if you're anything like me it isn't long before you can't move from the sofa.

I feel so blessed and so very lucky that I can sit here and share with you the things I love - and babble a bit too of course. I wanted to say a huge thank you for every single one one of you who has been reading, I've had an overwhelming amount of visitors to this blog from all over the world. You're very welcome and I hope that you continue to read.

I wish you all a very lovely Shrove Tuesday may your tummy's be full and contented.

Happy flipping!
Love

Bex
x

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