Bring a bit of sunshine into your life this pancake day with this easy Mary Berry pancake recipe. Try it with your kids or grandkids.
Shrove Tuesday - 21st February 2023 - Pancake Day.
This winter has been challenging in many ways, but the days are getting lighter, the birds are singing, the spring flowers are blooming and it’s time for pancakes again -yum.
Pancakes are so quick and easy to make and can be enjoyed as a sweet or savoury treat at any time. There are loved by us here at Box of Hugs and are a great excuse for us to get together. Watching someone try and flip a pancake or come up with the most unusual shake, flavour or topping never fails to make us smile.
Here is an Easy Mary Berry Pancake Recipe and a selection of topping ideas for you to try.
Timings
5 minutes to prepare, plus 30 minutes to leave the batter to stand
Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes
Makes
12 thin pancakes (18-20cm each)
Ingredients
-
125g of plain flour
-
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
-
300ml of milk
Method
- Sift the flour into a bowl then make a little well in the middle.
- Next, in a separate bowl, whisk one egg, one egg yolk and just a small bit of the milk together.
- Pour this mixture into the well in the flour then whisk with a little of the flour.
- Gradually whisk in half of the remaining milk. Draw in the rest of the flour a little at a time to make a smooth batter.
- Stir in the rest of the milk then cover. Now simply leave the batter to stand for about 30 minutes.
- When ready to get flipping, heat the frying pan and brush with a little oil.
- To cook your pancakes use a ladle to pour two or three tablespoons of batter into the pan. To spread the batter out evenly around the bottom just tilt the pan around in circles.
- The pancakes will take about 45-60 seconds over a medium-high heat. When they are ready to flip you'll see small holes appear on the surface, the underside is lightly browned and the edges will start to curl. You can now try to flip it over, just loosen the pancake around the edges and flip the pan, or use a pallet knife. Now cook the other side for about 30 seconds until it's golden. Now you can set it aside or eat it right away.
- Before you cook your next pancake, heat and lightly grease the pan again.
This recipe is taken from:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/recipes/mary-berrys-easy-pancake-recipe/
Here are a few of our attempts - made with our kids so whilst they may lack a little refinement in places, they were still yummy and made with love and smiles :).
Don’t worry if the first pancake is a disaster, it takes a bit of time to turn or flip a pancake over. A wonky pancake still tastes delicious.
When all your pancakes are cooked, you can heat them up in the microwave or add your toppings straight away and enjoy.
How do you top yours? Here are some ideas to get you started:
Sweet pancake topping ideas:
- Lemon and sugar (this remains our favourite at Box of Hugs)
- Chocolate spread/Nutella (this is our kids favourite - funny that!)
- Jam/clotted cream and jam
- Maple syrup
- Ice cream
- Biscotti spread
- Banana and chocolate
- Baileys or your favourite tipple and ice cream
Savoury pancake topping ideas:
Basically anything you can have on a pizza, you can try on a pancake:
- Ham, cheese and mushroom
- Gruyère cheese and ham
- Bacon and maple syrup
Healthier topping ideas:
- Lemon and sweetener
- Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or fresh fruit of your choice
- Low fat yoghurt or quark
- A few dark chocolate drops to add texture
Some hints and tips for making the perfect pancake:
To flip your pancakes in the frying pan - ensure you have loosened it from the bottom of the pan and then toss the pancake up in the air. You don’t need to toss it too high, just right enough to get it out of the pan and turned over. This takes practice.
To create shapes with your pancake mix - use a tablespoon and drop smaller quantities into the pan to make shapes. For example, drop some batter from the spoon into a heart shape and fill it in with more batter: or make a large round pancake in the centre of the pan and add two smaller pancakes as ears to make a mouse/bear-shaped pancake. This is where you can be creative. If the mixture is a bit too thick, add a bit more milk to loosen it.
If your pancake is too greasy - you might have too much oil in the frying pan. Use a piece of kitchen towel to ensure an even covering of oil across the frying pan and mop up any excess between pancakes.
If your pancake keeps sticking to the bottom of the pan - you might not have enough oil in the frying pan, the oil might not be hot enough, or may not be spread around the pan evenly. Test out adding more oil, coating the whole pan using a piece of kitchen towel or turn the heat up a bit. Drop a small amount of batter into the frying pan to test how it cooks before making another large or shaped pancake.
8 alternative pancake/crepe recipes for different dietary options or preferences
Why not search online for an alternative or unusual pancake/crepe recipes to suit your dietary requirements or taste? Here are some interesting ones to look for:
- Drop scone/Scotch pancake - sweeter than normal pancakes
- American pancake or fluffy pancake
- Vegan pancake or vegan banana pancake
- Cinnamon roll pancake
- High protein pancake
- Low fat pancake
- Gluten free options - try searching for pancakes made with gluten free, coconut or almond flour
- Dairy free alternatives - try searching for pancakes made with oat, nut or soya milk
Or see what else you can find or create your own e.g. try adding chocolate powder, orange zest or cinnamon to the batter.
Happy cooking and we'd love to see some of your creations on social media, Instagram @boxofhugslondon or Facebook @boxofhugs
Why not make someone smile this pancake day by sending someone some sunshine in a box - to remind them that spring is on its way and warmer days are coming. Whether they prefer sweet, savoury or vegan options, or just deserve to be treated or pampered, here at Box of Hugs we have a range of lovely gift ideas to choose from, for all budgets and family sizes
* cooking pancakes involves hot oil or butter so take care and ensure that children are supervised.