Let The Pancakes Pile High!
Pancakes evoke lovely childhood memories for me. My grandmother used to make a mountain for Shrove Tuesday, dusting them with vanilla scented sugar, rolling them and piling them in a castle shape, adding a few squares of dark chocolate for the door and windows. I would rush home from school with stars in my eyes.
You can, of course, buy an already made mix, but believe me, those are ever so easy to make: just whisk together and cook. Here is a simple recipe for a wow effect on the table…
The French call those aumonières, which were Middle ages pouches in that exact shape. Fancy trying?
- In a bowl, mix 125g raising flour and 50g of sugar
- Create a well in the centre and break two eggs into it. Mix again
- Add 50g melted butter. Mix again
- Warm 30cl milk in a saucepan. Add a vanilla bean cut in two along the length – the grains will add flavour to it…
- Put the vanilla bean aside, add the liquid to the bowl and mix one last time
- Leave to rest for 30mn
- Use a large frying pan (mine is around 22cm), melt a little butter, add a spoonful of dough and cook on both side until a light caramel colour
If you are brave, make flip them in the air…if not just use a spatula to turn them over (boring!). We tend to say that the first ones are always “for the dog” as those are usually too cooked or oddly shaped. Just take your time to adjust!
Fillings
You can fill those with whatever takes your fancy from ham and cheese, mushrooms and cream, chocolate sauce and almonds… Just place a little in the centre and close the pancake around it. To keep it in place, either use baker’s twine or cut length of your vanilla bean which will makes a lovely ribbon… Et voilà! You can put them in the oven for 10mn at 180 deg C if you wish a crispy effect.
Feeling festive?
There are plenty other ideas to make a simple pancake a festive treat:
- Kids love anything colourful. Give them a few drops of natural colouring and let them turn the dough pink, orange, red… before cooking. You will be titled Super mum of the day for sure.
- The best way to make them eat fruit at the same time? Provide slices of apples, bananas, raisins, a dollop of strawberry jam and let them invent a face on their pancake…
- Add a little orange blossom water, Cointreau or even champagne to the mix…
- Whisk some whipping cream into a Chantilly and add some lemon curd – gorgeous filling!
- Add chocolate chips or raisins infused in Earl Grey / Jasmine tea in the mix. Just make them slightly thicker than usual.
- Make a cake of them: one pancake, a layer of chocolate cream (Nutella works great), one pancake, etc… Put a paper doily on top, sprinkle with icing sugar or cocoa for an elegant stencil effect. Cut large slices!
- If you have baked wide ones, add your filling, roll them real tight and cut as if they were sushis
- Leftover ones? Use them as an alternative base for bread and butter pudding… or cut them in triangles for your chocolate fondue!
Pancakes when you’re out and about
On a Sunday morning, I tend to go to Jamie Oliver’s Recipease café in Clapham Junction: you can sit at the kitchen counter and see the cook prepare American style pancakes in front of you. The pyramid of eggs by his side is truly magnificent! Trust me, the ones with maple syrup, pancetta and banana are to die for. You can even shop for food and utensils on the way out.
If the weather is nice, start with an early brunch at the Breakfast Club in Shoreditch – the pancakes pile high! A very friendly address, just 10mn walk from the Columbia Flower Market where you will find anything from roses to palm trees… Let alone independent shops aplenty! Vintage Heaven is sure to win your heart with their collection of affordable cups and trios…
And because there is no specific time for those treats, you can also make a whole dinner of them. I recently discovered the Gay Hussar in Soho who serve fabulous veal goulash pancakes: crispy texture, oh-so-tender meat, soft paprika based sauce, perfectly cooked spinach and melting potatoes. Very exotic, and what a taste! Why not finish on a desert touch? Their menu counts one that is a wonderful version of a cloud-like cheesecake… and another filled with walnuts and a sweet sauce, topped with a dash of dark chocolate… Pancakes with a real difference!
A last advice? Forget the calorie-guilt by joining a pancake race! The most famous is in Spitafields: the teams dress up and raise money for charity. But even the Parliament has its own competition…
I have been trying to cancel a voucher for several days with no response. The Support page here doesn’t work, which is why I’m posting here. When can I expect a response.
This may come as a shock to you, but not everyone lives in London!!!
Hi L. Graham,
You are perfectly right of course – which is why I also mentionned recipes that anyone can try at home.
I could not advise addresses I had not tried but if you have a fab one around where you live, please share!
Oh how delish!!!