Great British Pancake

A pancake is a thin, flat cake prepared from a batter and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads; some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Most pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side. A crêpe is a very thin pancake cooked on one or both sides that is rolled and stuffed. Depending on the region, pancakes may be served at any time, with a variety of toppings or fillings including jam, fruit, syrup or meat.

English pancakes have three key ingredients: plain flour, eggs, and milk. The batter is runny and forms a thin layer on the bottom of the frying pan when the pan is tilted. It may form some bubbles during cooking, which results in a pale pancake with dark spots where the bubbles were, but the pancake does not rise. English pancakes are similar to French crêpes, and Italian crespelle, but are not "lacy" in appearance. They may be eaten as a sweet dessert with the traditional topping of lemon juice and sugar, drizzled with golden syrup, or wrapped around savory stuffings and eaten as a main course. Yorkshire pudding is made from a similar recipe, but baked instead of fried. This batter rises because the air beaten into the batter expands, without the need for baking powder; the result is eaten as part of the traditional roast beef dinner.

Ingredients

• • 110g/4oz plain flour, sifted

  • pinch of salt

  • 2 eggs

  • 200ml/7fl oz milk mixed with 75ml/3fl oz water

  • 50g/2oz butter

Directions

• 1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets a airing.

  2. Make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it.

  3. Mix it all together.

  4. Add the milk and water mixture whilst still whisking (lumps eventually disappear as you whisk).

  5. Now melt the 50g/2oz of butter in a pan.

  6. Add 2 tbsp of the melted butter into the batter and whisk it in.

  7. Put the rest of the butter in a bowl to lubricate the pan, using a wodge of kitchen paper to smear it round before you make each pancake.

  8. Pour or ladle the batter onto the pan and wobble it about to coat the base, using approximately 2 tablespoons for each pancake.

  9. Brown on both sides and serve hot.