Food / 27 February, 2017 / My Baba

14 Scrumptious Recipes To Celebrate Pancake Day

Protein pancakes

Ingredients:

• 100 g oats
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 100 g cottage cheese
• 1 banana
• 1 pinch of baking powder
• 1 splash of almond milk
• groundnut oil

Toppings:

• 4 tablespoons almond butter
• 2 teaspoons runny honey
• 4 tablespoons fat-free Greek yoghurt
• 4 fresh figs
• 1 pear
• 1 apple
• 1 handful of pomegranate seeds

Method:

• Blitz all the pancake ingredients (except the oil) in a blender until smooth, adding an extra splash of almond milk if it’s too thick.
• Prepare all your toppings in small bowls, slicing the figs. Core and coarsely grate the pear and apple, then toss with the pomegranate. Set aside.
• Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, brush with oil, then pour out any excess.
• Drop heaped tablespoons of the batter into the pan and cook for 3 minutes, or until little bubbles start to form on the surface.
• Carefully flip with a palette knife and cook for a few more minutes, or until the pancakes are lightly golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
• Layer the pancakes up with the fruit and almond butter, drizzle over the honey and spoon on the yoghurt.

Banana pancakes

Ingredients:

• 3 large free-range eggs
• 115 g plain flour
• 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
• 140 ml milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 knobs butter
• 3 tablespoons caster sugar
• 4 bananas
• crème fraîche , to serve

Method:

• Separate the eggs, putting the whites into one bowl and the yolks into another. Combine the plain flour, baking powder and milk with the egg yolks and mix until it forms a smooth, thick batter. Whisk the whites with the salt until they form stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the batter – it is now ready to use. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat.
• Pour some of your batter into the pan and fry for a couple of minutes until it starts to look golden and firm. Loosen with a spatula and turn or flip the pancake over. Continue frying until golden. Melt the butter and sugar in a separate pan over a low heat until they form a caramel sauce – about 3 minutes.
• Peel and cut the bananas lengthways, add them to the pan and cook gently until they are golden, turning after a few minutes. You might need to alter the cooking time slightly, depending on how ripe your bananas are. Serve them on the pancakes topped with a good spoonful of crème fraîche.

Roasted vegetable and ricotta crêpe

Ingredients:

• 100g plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 large egg
• 300ml semi skimmed milk
• 3tbsp fresh basil, torn
• 1tbsp melted butter
• 2tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 red , green and yellow pepper, deseeded and diced
• 1 medium courgette, wiped and cut into small chunks
• 4tbsp olive oil
• black pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 250g ricotta cheese
• 1 large vine tomato
• 25g parmesan cheese, grated

To garnish:

• Fresh basil

Method:

• To make the batter, sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre, add the egg and whisk , gradually adding the milk, until you have a smooth creamy batter.
• Whisk in the basil and  melted butter. Cover and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas Mark 6.
• Toss together the onions, peppers, courgettes, , olive oil, garlic and seasoning. Spread into a roasting tin and cook for 30 minutes.
• Toss well and add the cherry tomatoes. Return to the oven for 5 minutes.
• To cook the crêpes, whisk the batter again and using a ladle, swirl a layer of the batter over the pan – slightly thicker than you would normally.
• Cook for 2 to 3 minutes then flip over with a palette knife and cook the other side for a further 2 minutes. Stack onto a warmed serving dish and keep warm whilst you cook up the remaining batter to make a total of 6 pancakes.
• To assemble, place one crêpe onto a baking tray, spread with a little ricotta and top with another crêpe, then top this with some of the roasted veg mixture . Repeat the layers, finishing with a crêpe. Thinly slice the tomato and arrange on top of the crêpe, sprinkle with Parmesan and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
• Serve hot, cut into thick wedges. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Buttermilk pancakes with prawns and dill

Ingredients:

• 125g (4oz) plain flour, sifted
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 lemon, zested, plus wedges to serve
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 225ml (7 1/2fl oz) buttermilk
• 2 tbsp butter, melted, plus extra for frying
• 1 tbsp horseradish sauce
• 100ml (3 1/2fl oz) half fat crème fraiche
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped, plus extra sprigs to serve
• 180g (6oz) cooked king prawns

To serve:

• 1/4 cucumber, thinly sliced

Method:

• Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarb into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and the lemon zest; mix.
• Add the egg, buttermilk and butter, and whisk into a thick batter. Cover with clingfilm and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Brush butter into a hot pan, spoon 2 tbsp of the mix and put over a medium heat. Fry for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles appear; flip and fry for 1 minute on the other side. Remove, keep warm and repeat until you have 12.
• Mix together the horseradish, crème fraîche, dill and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season; set aside.
• To serve, put 2 pancakes on each plate, top with a dollop of horseradish mix, a few prawns and cucumber slices; squeeze over lemon juice, season with black pepper, and garnish with dill.

Spelt pancakes with clementine and pomegranate

Ingredients:

• 125g (4oz) spelt flour
• pinch salt
• 1 egg
• 300ml (1/2 pint) milk
• 50g (2oz) sugar
• 8 clementines
• 3 cardamom pods, seeds only
• 1 pomegranate, seeds only
• 40g (1 1/2oz) butter
• 4 tbsp crème fraîche (optional)

Method:

• Put the flour in a medium-sized bowl and add a pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre and crack in the egg. Beat the egg and gradually incorporate some of the flour. Slowly pour in the milk, incorporating more of the flour as you go. Once all the milk has been added, give the batter a good whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Set aside.
• Put the sugar, juice from two clementines, 100ml (3 1/2fl oz) water and the cardamom seeds in a small pan. Slowly bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain. Discard the cardamom seeds.
• Peel the remaining clementines, removing as much pith as you can. With a serrated knife, slice across the body of each clementine into four or five slices. Place in a bowl with the pomegranate seeds and pour the syrup over the top.
• Melt a small knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-heat. Using a ladle, spoon in enough mixture to cover the pan. Cook until lightly golden, about 20-30 seconds, then flip over and cook the other side. Keep warm by covering with a clean kitchen towel while you cook the rest. Serve 2-3 pancakes per person with a spoonful of the clementine and pomegranate on top and a dollop of crème fraîche if liked.

Dairy and egg-free crêpes

Ingredients:

• 250g (8oz) plain flour
• 450ml (3/4 pint) Koko coconut dairy-free milk alternative
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra to oil the pan
• lemon juice, to serve
• sugar, to serve

Method:

• Measure the flour into a bowl. Pour in the coconut dairy-free milk alternative slowly, making sure you have no lumps. Stir in the oil. Allow to sit for five minutes.
• Meanwhile place a 23cm (9in) frying pan over a medium-high heat. Oil the surface using a little sunflower oil on a kitchen towel or a sprayable sunflower oil. When the pan is nicely hot, pour in the pancake batter until the dollop is about two-thirds the size of the pan.
• Quickly pick up the pan and swirl it around so the batter spreads across the surface. Fry until well browned (about two minutes), then use a fish slice to loosen the pancake. Flip it over and fry for two more minutes.
• Place the finished pancakes on a plate. Repeat the process until the batter is used. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of sugar.

Leftover squash pancakes

Ingredients:

Vegan blueberry pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 250 ml unsweetened organic soya milk , or almond milk
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 125 g wholemeal flour
• 1 teaspoon golden caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 50 g blueberries , plus extra to serve
• vegetable oil
• organic soya yoghurt , to serve
• maple syrup , to serve

Method:

• Whisk together the ground flaxseed and 2½ tablespoons of cold water, then set aside to thicken. Meanwhile, melt the coconut oil in a small pan over a medium heat, then leave to cool slightly.
• Combine the soya or almond milk and cider vinegar. Add the melted coconut oil, then whisk in the flaxseed mixture.
• Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then make a well in the middle. Gradually pour in the wet mixture, stirring continuously until combined – don’t worry if there are still a few lumps. Fold in the blueberries, then set aside.
• Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature. Heat a splash of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add a ladleful of the batter to the pan (one ladleful is enough for one pancake), then add more ladlefuls of the batter, ensuring they’re nicely spaced out – you’ll need to do this in batches.
• Cook for around 2 minutes, or until golden underneath and little bubbles start to appear on the surface, then use a palette knife to flip them over. Cook for a further 2 minutes, or until golden. Place in the oven to keep warm while you make the remaining pancakes.
• Serve with a dollop of soya yoghurt, a drizzle of maple syrup and extra blueberries, if you like.

Maple crepe cake with caramelised pancetta

Ingredients:

• 450 g plain flour
• 25 g butter , plus extra for frying
• 18 slices of higher-welfare pancetta
• 4-5 tablespoons maple syrup
• 200 g pecans
• 250 g golden caster sugar

Buttercream:

• 150 g butter
• 250 g icing sugar
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup

Method:

• Sift the flour into a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk until combined, then stir in 300ml of water.
• Mix the liquid into the flour until you have a smooth batter (be careful not to over-mix it) and stir in a pinch of sea salt.
• Melt the butter in a 26cm frying pan over a medium-low heat, then pour it into your crêpe batter and whisk to combine.
• Using the same pan, ladle in just enough mixture to coat the base. Cook for 1 minute, until golden, then flip it and cook for 1 minute on the other side.
• Transfer the crêpe to a plate, then repeat until you’ve used up all of the mixture, brushing the pan with a little extra butter if needs be – it should make around 30 crêpes in total. Set them aside to cool.
• Line a board with greaseproof paper. In the frying pan, fry 4 slices of pancetta over a medium heat for about 2 minutes, or until crisp, turning halfway.
• Drizzle on 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and fry for a few more minutes, until caramelised – transfer to the lined board. Repeat with the rest of the pancetta.
• Save a couple of rashers to serve, then roughly chop the rest and set aside until you’re ready to use them.
• Toast the pecans in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, and set aside.
• Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and scatter over the pecans. Again using the same frying pan, melt the sugar over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until it’s a golden caramel – don’t stir, just swirl the pan.
• Quickly pour the caramel over the pecans to coat, then set aside to harden.
• Once set, break the pecan praline into large pieces. Reserve one-third for the topping and smash the rest into coarse granules using a pestle and mortar. Set aside while you make the buttercream.
• Cream the butter and icing sugar in the bowl of a free-standing mixer for 5 minutes, until pale and smooth. Beat in the maple syrup and set aside.
• Now assemble your cake. Spread each crêpe with a thin layer of buttercream and sprinkle the praline or chopped pancetta over every other one. Pile them up on a serving board or cake stand.
• Finish with a layer of buttercream and the reserved pecans and pancetta. Pop the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to set, then serve.

Buckwheat crepes with poached apple & pear

Ingredients:

• 3 free-range eggs
• 100 g butter , melted, plus a knob to grease the crêpe pan
• 275 ml good-quality cider
• 250 g buckwheat flour
• pouring cream , to serve
• 1 apple , peeled, cored and cut into large chunks
• 4 pears , peeled, cored and cut into large chunks
• 150 ml good-quality cider
• 1 generous splash of calvados
• 90 g sugar
• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 lemon , zest of
• 1 orange , zest of

Method:

• For the poached fruit, place all the ingredients in a large saucepan over a high heat. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and gently simmer.
• Meanwhile, for the crêpes, beat the eggs in a bowl then add the butter, cider, 250ml water and a pinch of salt. Slowly sift in the flour, beating as you go, until you have a smooth batter. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• When the fruit is tender but still holds its shape, bring the batter out of the fridge. Melt a knob of butter in a crêpe pan over a medium-high heat. Add a ladleful of batter and tip the pan to spread it around. Once bubbles form on the surface, loosen the edges of the crêpe with a palette knife or spatula before gently turning it over. Cook for another minute till golden and cooked on both sides, then transfer to a warm oven while you continue making the others. Serve with poached fruit and cream.

Pancake Cake

Ingredients:

Dutch baby pancakes with roasted plums

Ingredients:

• 20 g butter
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 100 ml single cream
• 120 ml milk
• 125 ml plain flour
• 30 g golden caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Roasted plums:

• 3 plums
• ½ orange
• 2 tablespoons golden caster sugar

Method:

Crêpes with banana & Greek yoghurt

Crêpes:

• 130 g sorghum flour
• 300 ml whole milk
• 2 tablespoons full-fat Greek yoghurt
• 2 large free-range eggs
• unsalted butter, coconut oil or duck fat , for frying

Filling:

• 4 ripe bananas , or other fruit
• 1 lemon
• 50 g flaked almonds , or shredded coconut
• 100 g full-fat Greek yoghurt

To serve:

• runny honey or maple syrup

Method:

• Between 6 to 12 hours before you plan to cook your crêpes, whisk the flour, milk and yoghurt together in a bowl. Cover and leave at room temperature.
• For the filling, slice the bananas thickly at an angle. Place them in a bowl and squeeze in enough lemon juice to coat the slices, turning them gently. Lemon zest is a delicious addition too, so finely grate some in, if you like.
• Toast the flaked almonds or coconut in a dry pan and add to the bananas, giving a final gentle turn (or add untoasted, if you prefer).
• When you are ready to cook the crêpes, whisk in the eggs and a large pinch of sea salt – the consistency should be like double cream, so add a little more milk, if needed.
• Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Brush lightly with butter, using a heatproof brush or a folded wad of kitchen paper.
• Pour a small ladleful of batter into the pan and swirl it around to give you a thin crêpe (if there are lots of bubbly holes, you have the pan a little too hot.) When the underside is golden brown, loosen gently with a palette knife and flip over to cook the other side briefly. Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest, interleaving the cooked crêpes in the oven with pieces of baking parchment to stop them sticking together.
• Spread each crêpe with some Greek yoghurt and add a spoonful of banana. Fold in half and fold again into quarters. Drizzle with a little honey or maple syrup to serve.

Stewed rhubarb with soured cream and maple syrup

Ingredients:

• 400g (13oz) rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 4 tbsp soured cream
• 4 tsp maple syrup

Method:

• Firstly, prepare a batch of pancakes.
• In a pan, combine the rhubarb, orange zest, caster sugar and vanilla essence. Cook over low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or until tender.
• To serve, divide the topping between 4 pancakes and top with the soured cream and maple syrup.