Tomorrow it’s Shrove Tuesday – aka Pancake Day, which means that it’s time to get your pinny on. Of all the annual holidays, Pancake Day is one of my favourites. I think I love it so much because as a child, I can always remember it being so much fun. Helping my parents to make the batter, learning to flip a pancake – something I am still yet to master, coming up with crazy topping ideas, I love everything about this tasty day.
This year, I thought I would share a few of my favourite pancake making tips and ideas with you. As well as a few of the toppings that I am mad about – Nutella being my number one pancake topper, of course.
Pick a pancake
There are so many pancake recipes to choose from that it can be tricky knowing which one to go with. I grew up eating traditional pancakes – aka mini crepes, but I am also crazy about American pancakes. I just love how thick, fluffy and filling they are, not to mention the fact you can bake blueberries into them.
The main difference between traditional British pancakes and American ones is that they’re thicker and sweeter – in my opinion both are as yummy as each other. For traditional pancakes, I tend to follow a recipe like this one from BBC Good Food. For American pancakes, I swear by this Nigella recipe.
Of course, as well as these two well known batter recipes, there’s a new pancake on the block – the banana pancake. For anyone who’s into healthy eating and low carb diets, this could be the perfect pancake for you. For healthy, gluten-free pancakes, check out this fruit-based recipe.
Let’s talk toppings
Now you’ve got your base sorted, the next step is to talk toppings. Obviously, you can’t go wrong with lemon and sugar or maple syrup and bacon, but what are the other options? For your pancake toppings there are infinite possibilities, from Nutella and strawberries – a personal favourite of mine, to berries and creme fraiche, you’ve got plenty of options.
For chocolatey pancakes, I tend to use Nutella as a base and then top it with fresh fruit, ice cream or cream. Sometimes, if I’m feeling really naughty, I’ll melt Cadbury chocolate and top it with banana, toffee sauce, whipped cream and hazelnuts. (If you want to make this year’s pancakes extra chocolatey, when making your batter add a little cocoa to it.)
What about fruity pancakes? For fresh fruity goodness, you can’t go wrong with citrus fruits – orange and cinnamon are a surprisingly good combination. Or how about american pancakes with whipped cream and blueberry compote? If you love the idea of fruity pancakes, check out these fabulous ideas!
If you’re someone who doesn’t have a sweet tooth, you might be wondering about some savoury pancake ideas. As long as you don’t add any sugar to your pancakes, you can eat them with just about any savoury topping. However, my favourites have to be cream cheese and smoked salmon, char-grilled vegetables and pesto, and squash, feta and rosemary.
Pancake making tips
I may not be a pancake making pro, but I do have a few pointers to share for perfect pancakes.
- Always make sure the oil in the pan is hot before adding the batter.
- Wait until the bottom on the pancake is cooked before trying to flip it. Else, you’ll end up with something that resembles scrambled eggs.
- Invest in a non-stick pan – trust me it’s more than worth it.
- If you struggle making crepe-style pancakes, make American ones. They’re much easier to flip because they’re less prone to breaking.
- Ensure they’re golden when you take them out of the pan – there’s nothing worse than a half-cooked pancake.
Happy Pancake Day!
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