Cake & Bake Perfect Pancakes Whip up a classic pancake batter to celebrate Shrove Tuesday. Simply serve the traditional way with sugar and lemon juice or try one of our extra special sweet or savoury serving ideas. Makes 8 - Ready in 30 minutes plus standing time Ingredients: • 100g plain flour • Pinch of salt • 1 large egg • 300ml milk (or milk and water mixed) • Sunflower oil or unsalted butter, for frying 1. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the salt and make a well in the centre. Add the egg and beat with a balloon whisk, gradually drawing in some of the flour. 2. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking all the time and drawing in the rest of the flour, until you have a smooth batter which is about the consistency of single cream. 3. Stand the batter for about 30 minutes to allow the starch grains in the flour to soften and expand –this will give a lighter pancake. If the batter has thickened slightly then just whisk in a splash of milk. 4. Heat a little sunflower oil or a knob of butter in a non-stick shallow frying pan (about 20cm diameter)until almost smoking then quickly ladle in enough of the batter to thinly cover the base of the pan, swirling the pan to give an even layer. 5. Cook for 1-2 minutes until small air bubbles appear in the pancake then flip it over and cook for a further minute until golden. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, serving the pancakes as they are cooked or interleaving with baking paper and keeping warm in a low oven.
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SWEET Choc ‘n’ nuts – spread warmed pancakes with chocolate and hazelnut spread then fold into quarters. Drizzle with warmed chocolate sauce and serve with toasted hazelnuts. Orange cream – heat 4tbsp thin-shred marmalade with 150ml orange juice in a frying pan and simmer for a few minutes until syrupy. Fold the pancakes and add to the pan, turning to coat in the syrup. Serve topped with whipped cream or crème fraiche. SAVOURY Cheese and bacon melts – add 2tsp dried Italian herbs to the pancake batter. Fill each cooked pancake with some grated Cheddar and 2 rashers crisply fried smoked bacon rashers. Fold over and pop in a hot oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted. Tuna parcels – place a spoonful of canned flaked tuna fish in the centre of each cooked pancake and top with some canned sweetcorn and chopped spring onion. Fold the pancakes to make parcels and enclose the filling. Serve with sweet chilli sauce.