american pancakes with whipped maple butter
The classic American pancake is light and fluffy and served with lashings of maple syrup. Here, they are also served with whipped maple butter. Whipped butters are a delicious treat and can be made in many flavours. You need to serve them straight away rather than storing them in the refrigerator, otherwise the butter will set and loose its fluffy texture. Alternatively, serve these pancakes with crispy bacon in place of the maple butter, like the savoury beer and bacon pancakes on page 121 – the sweet and salty combination is delicious.
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
250 ml/1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
FOR THE MAPLE BUTTER
115 g/1 stick butter
60 ml/¼ cup maple syrup, plus extra to serve
60 g/½ cup icing/confectioners’ sugar, sifted
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 12
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste, caster/granulated sugar, salt and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
For the maple butter, whisk together the butter, maple syrup and icing/confectioners’ sugar using an electric whisk until light and creamy. This is best made shortly before serving.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of the rested batter into the pan, leaving a little space between each, or if you want to make larger pancakes you can fill the pan to make one at a time. Cook until the underside of each pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Cook the remaining batter in the same way in batches until it is all used up, adding a little butter to the pan each time, if required.
Serve the pancakes in a stack with a little maple butter and a drizzle of maple syrup on top.
These mini pancakes are similar to scotch pancakes. They are plain and simple but have a hidden layer of chocolate chips in the middle. You can use any chocolate chips that you like. Although you could serve these pancakes with chocolate sauce or maple syrup – I like them just on their own with a dusting of icing sugar.
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
250 ml/1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
100g/⅔ cup chocolate chips (white, milk/semi-sweet, dark/bittersweet, or a mixture of all) icing/confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 12
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, caster/granulated sugar, vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste, salt and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of batter into the pan, leaving a little space between each, and sprinkle a few chocolate chips in the centre of each pancake. Carefully spoon over a little more batter to cover the chocolate chips. Cook until the underside of each pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown.
Cook the remaining batter in the same way in batches until it is all used up, adding a little butter to the pan each time, if required.
Dust with icing/confectioners’ sugar and serve warm or cold.
granola pancakes with salty honey sauce
These are one of my favourite breakfast pancakes. They have a crunchy, oaty top and are served with a delicious, buttery, honey sauce. You can also add raisins, sultanas, dried berries and cherries to the batter for an extra fruity tang.
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
1 tablespoon orange blossom honey
a pinch of salt
250 ml/1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
120–150 g/1½ cups granola
FOR THE SAUCE
60 g/4 tablespoons butter
3½ tablespoons clear honey
½ teaspoon salt
120 ml/½ cup double/heavy cream
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 6
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, honey, salt and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
For the sauce, heat the butter and honey in a small saucepan or pot until the butter has melted. Then add the salt and whisk in the cream over the heat. Keep the pan on the heat but turn it down to low to keep the sauce warm until you are ready to serve.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle the batter into the pan and sprinkle a little granola on top of the pancake. Cook until the underside of the pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancake over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Keep the pancake warm while you cook the remaining batter, adding a little more butter to the pan each time if necessary.
Serve the pancakes with the warm honey sauce poured over the top.
blackberry cream cheese pancakes
These pancakes have a hidden pocket of blackberry and cream cheese filling, a yummy surprise when you cut into them! Served with a tangy blackberry sauce and whipped cream, they are an indulgent pancake dessert.
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
250 ml/1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
FOR THE SAUCE AND FILLING
300 g/2¼ cups blackberries
120 ml/½ cup water
100 g/½ cup caster/granulated sugar
100 g/½ cup cream cheese
250 ml/1 cup double/heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks, to serve
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 6
Begin by making the blackberry sauce and filling. Place the blackberries in a saucepan or pot with the water and sugar together over a medium heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes until the fruit is soft and the liquid is syrupy. Leave to cool.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of the cooled blackberries (fruit and syrup) to make the filling.
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, caster/granulated sugar, salt and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle the batter into the pan and tip to spread the batter out into a circle. Place a spoonful of the blackberry filling in the centre of the pancake and carefully spread it out, leaving a gap between the filling and the edge of the pancake. Cover the filling with a little more pancake batter so that it is completely hidden. Cook until the underside of the pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Then turn the pancakes over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way, adding a little butter to the pan each time, if required.
Serve the pancakes with the reserved blackberry sauce and whipped cream on the side.
These are the perfect breakfast pancakes, with a real caffeine kick to wake you up in the morning. The coffee syrup is made with cocoa nibs which are a real delicacy. Cocoa nibs are fermented, dried, roasted cocoa pods, usually ground with sugar to make chocolate. They are delicious and good for you as they don’t contain sugar but still have an amazing chocolate taste. They are available from health food stores and some supermarkets, or online.
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
1 tablespoon caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
250 ml/1 cup iced milk coffee
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
150 g/1 cup mascarpone cheese
150 ml//⅔ cup crème fraîche
icing/confectioners’ sugar, to taste (optional)
cocoa powder, to dust
FOR THE SYRUP
100 ml/⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon espresso coffee
60 ml/¼ cup coffee liqueur
100 g/½ cup plus 1 tablespoon caster/granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa nibs or coffee beans
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 12
Begin by making the coffee syrup. Put all of the syrup ingredients in a saucepan or pot and simmer over a gentle heat for about 5 minutes until thick and gloopy. Set aside to allow the flavours to infuse and the syrup to cool.
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, caster/granulated sugar, salt and iced coffee in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of the batter into the pan, leaving a little space between each. Cook until the batter is just set then turn over and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Once cooked, keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batter, adding a little butter to the pan each time, if required.
When you are ready to serve, place the mascarpone cheese and crème fraîche in a bowl, adding a little icing sugar to sweeten if you wish, and whisk together well.
Serve the pancakes in a stack with a dollop of the mascarpone cream on top and a drizzle of syrup. Dust with a little cocoa powder and enjoy!
buttermilk blueberry pancakes with blueberry lime sauce
Until I ate blueberries with the Murphy family in America, I really didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Blueberries have a wonderful, explosive taste when fresh and in season, although they are available year-round in supermarkets and online. I have added a little lime juice to the sauce to give these pancakes extra zing, although you can omit this if you have a good source of fresh, flavourful blueberries.
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
200 ml/¾ cup milk
80 ml/5 tablespoons buttermilk
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
100 g/¾ cup fresh blueberries
FOR THE SAUCE
300 g/2¼ cups blueberries
freshly squeezed juice of 3 limes
100 g/½ cup caster/granulated sugar
90 ml/6 tablespoons water
300 ml/1¼ cups double/heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks, to serve
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 12
Begin by making the sauce. Place the blueberries, lime juice and caster/granulated sugar in a saucepan or pot with the water and simmer over a gentle heat for about 5–10 minutes until the fruit is soft and the sauce is thick and syrupy.
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, caster/granulated sugar, salt, milk and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of the batter into the pan, leaving a little space between each. Sprinkle a few blueberries over the top of the pancake and cook until the underside of each pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way, adding a little more butter to the pan each time, if required, and sprinkling each pancake with blueberries.
Serve the pancakes in a stack, drizzled with the blueberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.
banana maple chocolate chip pancakes with maple butter sauce and caramelized bananas
There are few more comforting foods than banana pancakes. These are extra-indulgent, flavoured with maple syrup and bursting with chocolate chips. Served with caramelized bananas and a maple butter sauce, they’re great on a cold day to lift your spirits.
2 ripe bananas, peeled
freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon
60 ml/4 tablespoons maple syrup
a pinch of salt
180 g/1⅓ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
250 ml/1 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
100g/⅔ cup milk/semi-sweet chocolate chips
FOR THE SAUCE
50 g/3½ tablespoons butter
80 ml/5 tablespoons maple syrup
120 ml/½ cup double/heavy cream
FOR THE CARAMELIZED BANANAS
4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 12
Begin by making the maple butter sauce. Heat the butter and maple syrup in a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until the butter has melted. Add the cream to the pan and simmer over a gentle heat for a few minutes longer. If you want to serve the sauce warm, keep the pan on the heat but turn it down to low until you are ready to serve.
For the caramelized bananas, sprinkle the prepared slices with caster/granulated sugar, ensuring they are well coated. Set a frying pan/skillet over a high heat and place the sugar coated bananas into the pan without any butter or oil. Cook for a few minutes until the bananas start to caramelize, then turn the slices over and cook on the other side until golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
For the pancake batter, crush the 2 bananas to a smooth purée together with the lemon juice, using the back of a fork or in a food processor. Put the banana purée into a large mixing bowl and add the maple syrup, salt, flour, baking powder and egg yolk. Whisk the ingredients together, gradually adding the milk until the batter is smooth. Add the melted butter and whisk in. The batter should have a smooth dropping consistency.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture together with the chocolate chips using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of the batter into the pan, leaving a little space between each. Cook until the underside of each pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batter, adding a little butter to the pan each time, if required.
To serve, top the pancakes with the caramelized bananas and drizzle with the maple butter sauce and any extra caramel from the pan.
fig and ricotta pancakes with orange syrup
Figs are one of those fruits that always remind me of summer. They are delicious in this recipe with their vibrant pink and green colour, served drizzled with buttery orange syrup in rich pancakes laden with ricotta. I make them small enough to top with just one fig slice, but you can make larger versions with several fig slices on top if you prefer.
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs, separated
the grated zest of 2 unwaxed oranges
50 g/¼ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
250 ml/1 cup milk
125 g/½ cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
4–5 ripe figs, thinly sliced
sugar nibs/pearl sugar or caster/granulated sugar, for sprinkling
FOR THE SYRUP
freshly squeezed juice of 4 oranges
100 g/½ cup caster/granulated sugar
50 g/3½ tablespoons butter
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 18
Begin by preparing the syrup. Put the orange juice, sugar and butter in a saucepan or pot over a medium heat and simmer until the sugar is melted. Keep the pan on the heat but turn it down to low to keep the syrup warm until you are ready to serve.
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolks, orange zest, caster/granulated sugar, salt, milk and ricotta cheese in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg whites into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small spoonfuls of batter into the pan, leaving a little space between each. Place a slice of fig on top of each pancake and sprinkle with sugar nibs/pearl sugar or caster/granulated sugar. Cook until the underside of each pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 1–2 minutes. Turn the pancakes over using a spatula and cook on the other side until the sugar-topped figs have caramelized and the top is golden brown. Keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batter until it is used up.
Serve the pancakes immediately with a drizzle of the orange syrup.
chai pancakes with rose petals
I love chai tea, with its delicate hint of cardamom, and use it to infuse the milk to make the pancake batter for this recipe. Served with a delicate rose cream and twinkling with a little gold leaf, these are special occasion pancakes.
375 ml/1½ cups milk
1 chai teabag
½ cinnamon stick
a pinch of saffron
8 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
a handful of chopped pistachios, to serve
edible gold leaf, to serve (optional)
pink pearl sugar/sugar nibs, to serve (optional)
FOR THE CRYSTALLIZED ROSE PETALS
1 egg white
1 pesticide-free rose, petals removed
caster/granulated sugar
FOR THE CREAM
200 ml/¾ cup double/heavy cream
1 tablespoon rose syrup, plus extra to serve
1 tablespoon icing/confectioners’ sugar
a silicon mat or baking sheet lined with baking parchment
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 8
Prepare the crystallized rose petals a day in advance. Take care to only use roses that have not been sprayed with any chemicals or pesticides. Whisk the egg white until it forms a foam. Paint a thin layer of the whisked egg white on both the front and the back of each petal and sprinkle it with caster/granulated sugar. This is best achieved by holding the sugar at a small height above the petal and sprinkling lightly – place a plate or tray beneath the petal to catch any excess sugar. It is important to ensure that all the egg white is coated in sugar, so it is best to work on one petal at a time. Repeat with all the remaining petals and place them on the prepared silicon mat or baking sheet. Transfer the petals to a warm place to dry overnight. Once dried, store the crystallized petals in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks until you are ready to serve.
To make the pancake batter, heat the milk in a saucepan or pot with the chai teabag, cinnamon, saffron, cardamom pods and caster/granulated sugar. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Take out the teabag and discard. Leave the remaining spices in the milk to infuse and set aside to cool.
Once the spiced milk has cooled, remove the cinnamon and cardamom pods using a spoon and discard. Then put the flour, baking powder, salt, egg and spiced milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth dropping consistency. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
For the rose cream, put all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk to stiff peaks. Cover and store in the refrigerator until needed.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of the batter into the pan, leaving a little space between each. Cook until the underside of each pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over using a spatula and cook on the other ide until golden brown. Keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batter, adding a little butter to the pan each time, if required.
Top the pancakes with a generous spoonful of rose cream and sprinkle with the pistachios, crystallized rose petals, gold leaf and pink pearl sugar/sugar nibs. Drizzle with a little rose syrup and serve.
Greek baklava was one of the first desserts I learnt to make – utterly delicious with candied cinnamon and walnuts, layered between buttery filo pastry. I have taken inspiration from the baklava filling for these pancakes, by including a hidden pocket of walnut butter. Serve drizzled with Greek honey.
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
50 g/¼ cup caster/granulated sugar
120 ml/½ cup milk
280 ml/1¼ cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
½ teaspoon salt
Greek runny honey, to serve
FOR THE FILLING
100 g/1 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
50 g/¼ cup caster/granulated sugar
90 g/6 tablespoons butter, softened
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 6
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg, caster/granulated sugar, salt, milk and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, pourable consistency. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
For the baklava filling, blitz the walnuts to a fine crumb with the cinnamon and sugar in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl then add the butter and mix together to a smooth paste. Set aside.
When you are ready to serve, remove the batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of the batter into the pan. Put a spoonful of the baklava filling in the centre of the pancake and carefully spread it out, leaving a gap between the filling and the edge of the pancake. Cover the filling with a little more pancake batter so that it is completely hidden. Cook until the underside of each pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancake over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batter, adding a little butter to the pan each time, if required.
Serve the pancakes warm with a drizzle of honey over the top.
oreo pancakes with chocolate fudge sauce
I ate these pancakes at a fantastic diner in New York and was instantly hooked. The Oreo pieces soſten when cooked and create delicious chocolate bursts within the pancake. Served with a wickedly sweet chocolate sauce, these are definitely pancakes for a special treat rather than every day.
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
250 ml/1 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
9 Oreo cookies or similar, broken into pieces
FOR THE SAUCE
30 g/⅓ cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon cold water
150 ml/⅔ cup double/heavy cream
100 g/⅓ cup milk/semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon golden syrup/light corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 12
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste, caster/granulated sugar, salt and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
For the chocolate fudge sauce, mix the cocoa powder with a little cold water until you have smooth paste. Put the cream, chocolate, cocoa paste, golden syrup/light corn syrup, butter, salt and vanilla extract in a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat and simmer until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth, glossy sauce. Keep the pan on the heat but turn it down to low to keep the sauce warm until you are ready to serve.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of the batter into the pan. Sprinkle some of the Oreo cookies into the batter and cook until the batter is just set then turn over and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Once cooked, keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way, adding a little butter to the pan each time, if required.
Serve the pancakes in a stack with the hot chocolate fudge sauce poured over the top.
Coconut and chocolate make a great pancake combination. With a crunch of toasted, shredded coconut and coconut syrup, these pancakes are a coconut-lover’s dream. If you cannot find long shredded soſt coconut, substitute desiccated coconut instead.
160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
250 ml/1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
100 g/⅔ cup plain/bittersweet or milk/semi-sweet chocolate chips
150 g/2 cups long shredded soft coconut
FOR THE SAUCE
200 ml/¾ cup coconut milk
75 g/⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 6
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, caster/granulated sugar, salt and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white, the chocolate chips and half of the shredded coconut into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
Toast the remaining coconut in a dry frying pan until lightly golden brown. Take care to watch it closely as it can burn easily.
For the sauce, put the coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until the mixture turns syrupy. Keep the pan on the heat but turn it down to low to keep the sauce warm until you are ready to serve.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir gently. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle a little of the batter into the pan. Sprinkle a tablespoon of toasted coconut over the top of the pancake and cook until the underside is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancake over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way, adding a little more butter to the pan each time if required.
Serve the pancakes warm sprinkled with the remaining toasted coconut and a drizzle of coconut sauce.
oatmeal pancakes with berry compote
These are great breakfast pancakes – with oatmeal soaked in milk mixed into the batter and candied oats on top. Served with a warm berry compote and crème fraîche, they are the perfect pancakes to make in the summer, when you have a glut of fresh berries to use up.
370–400 ml/1½ cups milk
200 g/1½ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
a pinch of salt
1 tablespoon caster/granulated sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying
crème fraîche, to serve (optional)
FOR THE COMPOTE
500 g/4 cups summer berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries in any combination of your choosing), stalks removed
250 ml/1 cup water
100 g/½ cup caster/granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste
freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
FOR THE TOASTED OATS
60 g/½ cup oatmeal
50 g/¼ tablespoon caster/granulated sugar
a large frying pan/skillet or griddle
Makes 10
Begin by preparing the compote. Put the summer berries in a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat with the water, sugar, vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste and lemon juice. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the fruit is just starting to soften but still holds its shape. This will take about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool then store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
For the toasted oats, place the oats and sugar in a dry frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat and toast for a few minutes until the sugar starts to caramelize the oats. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Soak half of the toasted oats in 250 ml/1 cup of the milk for about 30 minutes, until plump. Reserving the rest of the oats for the pancake batter.
To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg, salt, caster/granulated sugar and milk-soaked oats in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. Gradually add the remaining milk until you have a smooth, pourable batter. Be careful not to make the batter too thin when adding the remaining milk – you may not need it all. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of the batter into the pan. Sprinkle some of the reserved toasted oats over the top of the pancake and cook until the underside is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancake over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Keep the pancakes warm while you cook the remaining batterin the same way, adding a little more butter to the pan each time if required.
Serve the pancakes with the cooled berry compote and crème fraîche.
