Flipping heck, don’t you just

Flipping heck

DON’T YOU JUST LOVE PANCAKES?

Pancake Day – also known as Shrove Tuesday – is widely celebrated in the United Kingdom but this year’s date, February 16, it may have slipped by unnoticed by many Kiwis focused on the latest Covid-19 cases.

However, in Britain one well-known online cake shop, Jack & Beyond asked 3073 people to choose their favourite pancake toppings many of which will strike a chord with pancake lovers here. The online results were revealing.

Nutella/chocolate spread was crowned the people’s favourite. In total, 91% of respondents preferred their pancakes with chocolate spread on top, opening another debate as to which fruit goes better with it, banana or strawberries? Ice cream slipped into second place. From indulgent Belgian chocolate to simple vanilla, a spoon of ice cream was said to be just the best according to 88% of people.

Despite the many topping options available, it seems Canada’s favourite – maple syrup – has been adopted across the world.

It came in at third place with 85% of respondents choosing it as their favourite to pour on pancakes. Flipping the results, whipped cream placed 15th with 36% of votes while Britain’s favourite combination of lemon and sugar didn’t to appeal to the rest of the world as it came in at 14th place with only 31% of votes.

I wonder how readers would have voted? Berries and cream, bacon, banana and syrup or even just plain caster sugar and a squeeze of lemon?

Check out the recipe below.

WHICH PANCAKE TOPPING RULES THEM ALL?

THE RESULTS:

Nutella/ 91%

chocolate spread Ice cream 88% Maple syrup 85% Peanut butter 76% Bananas and chocolate 72% Bacon and syrup 69% Honey 68% Smoked salmon 58% Butter 54% Caramel 51% Fresh berries 47% Jam 41% Lemon and sugar 36% Whipped cream 31%

APPLE AND BLACKCURRANT PANCAKES

• 115g (one cup) plain whole-meal flour • 300 ml skimmed milk • 1 egg, beaten • 1 tbsp sunflower oil plus extra for greasing • Crème fraîche or fresh whipped cream to serve (optional) • Toasted nuts or sesame seeds, for sprinkling

FILLING:

• 450g cooking apples • 225g blackcurrants • 2-3 tbsp water • 2 tbsp demerara sugar

To make the pancake batter, place flour in a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Add a little of the milk with the egg and the oil.

Beat the flour into the liquid, then gradually beat in the rest of the milk, keeping the batter smooth and free from lumps. Cover the batter and chill while you prepare the filling.

Quarter, peel and core apples. Slice into a pan and add blackcurrants and water. Cook over a gentle heat for 10-15 mins until fruit is soft. Stir in enough demerara sugar to sweeten. Lightly grease a non-stick pan with just a smear of oil. Heat the pan, pour in about 2 tbsp of the batter, swirl it around and cook for about one minute. Flip the pancake over with a spatula or slide and cook the other side. kitchen paper and keep hot while cooking the remaining pancakes.

Fill the pancakes with the apple and blackcurrant mixture and roll them up. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche or whipped cream, and sprinkle with nuts or sesame seeds.