With Pancake day less than two weeks away (February 13th 2018) we thought we'd show you five ways to make these delicious treats, from microwave pancakes, to traditional pancakes, to protein pancakes, so you can have pancakes wherever and however you want this Shrove Tuesday!
American Pancakes
If you want your pancakes light and fluffy this year then American Pancakes are the ones for you. Great with maple syrup and fruit, or even with bacon at breakfast, they are a treat you are bound to love.
Ingredients:
135g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp caster sugar
130ml milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp melted butter, plus extra for cooking
Method:
- In a bowl lightly whisk the milk and egg and then whisk in the melted butter.
- In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
- Pour ¼ of the milk, egg and butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix. Repeat this three more times, until all of the ingredients are combined, trying to mix out any lumps. Rest for 5 minutes.
- Heat a frying pan on a stove and add a small knob of butter.
- Add a ladle of batter to the pan (or two if your pan is big enough) the batter should stay in one round(ish) dollop.
- The batter will be thick but when the top begins to bubble you can flip the pancake with a spatula. When both sides are golden brown it is fully cooked.
- Repeat steps 4-6 until all the batter is used up.
Tip: Turn your oven on at its lowest setting and keep the cooked pancakes warm in there while you are cooking the rest of the batch.
Vanilla Protein Pancakes
Sometimes if you're on a diet a proper calorific pancake could throw you off track so these pancakes, full of at least 18g of protein, are a lower fat option that will help aid muscle repair and also taste really yummy. Protein pancakes come out like the American Pancakes in texture and can be topped with your favourite fruit and even a bit of granulated low-calorie sweetener or low calorie sauce.
Ingredients:
25g Vanilla protein powder
52g Oatbran or Rolled Oats
3 egg whites
80g low-fat cottage cheese
1 tsp vanilla essence
Method:
- If using rolled oats – add oats to a blender and blend on high for a minute.
- Add all the ingredients into the blender and blend until the batter is smooth.
- Heat a frying pan on a stove and add a small amount of oil or Fry Light.
- Add a ladle of batter to the pan (or two if your pan is big enough) the batter should stay in one round(ish) dollop.
- The batter will be thick but when the top begins to bubble you can flip the pancake with a spatula. When both sides are golden brown it is fully cooked.
- Repeat steps 3-5 until all the batter is used up/
Microwave Pancakes
These amazing pancakes are a recent find of ours and we think they're amazing as you can even make them at work. Unlike your traditional pancake, these won't get the golden colouring from a frying pan but hey, with a taste like this, we're not complaining. We've also made this recipe office friendly so you don't even need scales!
Ingredients:
½ tbsp butter
5 tbsp plain flour (100g)
1 large egg
½ tbspn milk
A little oil/butter for cooking
Method:
- Mix the egg and milk in a bowl. Gradually add the flour to make a smooth thick batter.
- Cover a microwaveable plate (with a lip) in a thin layer of butter/oil.
- Pour the pancake mixture onto the plate and swirl round so that there is an even, thin layer of batter.
- Heat in the microwave for 60 seconds. If the pancake is still runny heat it for 10 seconds at a time after this – you don't want to go too far as the pancake will just go dry if it's cooked too much.
- Do this as many times as you want – go crazy!
Traditional Pancakes
Thin and slightly crisp at the edges, these roll-able pancakes are great sprinkled with sugar and lemon or filled with whipped cream and topped with chocolate sauce and your favourite fruit.
Ingredients:
100g plain flour
2 eggs
300ml milk
Pinch salt
1 tbsp oil – sunflower or vegetable, plus extra for cooking
Method:
- Pour flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Crack the eggs into the well and mix.
- Pour roughly a third of the milk into the mixture and mix. Repeat this two more times, until all of the ingredients are combined, trying to mix out any lumps.
- Rest for thirty minutes (if possible).
- Wipe a frying pan with a little oil and then set on the heat.
- When the pan is hot ladle some of the mixture into the pan and quickly swirl around the pan so the batter covers the bottom in a thin and even layer.
- Cook for about a minute, or until golden and then flip and cook for another minute.
- Repeat steps 4-6 until all the batter is used up.
Tip: Turn your oven on at its lowest setting and keep the cooked pancakes warm in there while you are cooking the rest of the batch.
German Oven Pancakes
If you like the idea of thick, eggy pancakes, this recipe is definitely one for you to try. This pancake is similar to a sweet Yorkshire pudding and tastes great with sugar and lemon or even a generous layer of Nutella!
Ingredients:
475ml milk
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
175g plain flour
4 tbsp granulated sugar
100g butter – for cooking
Method:
- Place butter in a large baking dish and put into an oven turned on at 200°C.
- While oven is getting to temperature combine the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, flour and sugar to create the batter.
- When the butter is completely melted, but not burned, take the dish out of the oven and pour the batter into the dish with the butter.
- Place back into the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes until the pancake is set in the middle and the edges are puffy and golden.
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