Happy Pancake Day

Happy Pancake Day

Happy Pancake Day

Happy Pancake Day

Happy Pancake Day

Happy Pancake Day 

The Only Recipe You Need This Pancake Day 

Pancake Day was a day of the year that I’d look forward to from 1st January as a child. It was big news in our household as we didn’t have crêpes on any other day of the year. My Mum made up for it on the big day though with an ‘all you can eat’ type spread where pancakes were rustled up until my sister and I were full to the brim. We always verged on the tipping point of *almost* eating a double digit amount of pancakes. It was a brilliant day. It’s a day that I still look forward to as an adult, because all these years later I still have crêpes on the brain. Who doesn’t? Sweet or savoury. Thin or fluffy. Classic filling or off-piste. The possibilities are endless, but always delicious.

Speaking of fillings, for this Pancake Day the makers of the best darn jam in the business, Bonne Maman, have our backs. Not only is their website crammed with recipe inspiration, but their jam and spreads make for the perfect pancake accompaniment; with their high quality all-natural ingredients. A layer of their Strawberry Conserve in a crêpe? Nice. A drizzle of their Salted Caramel Spread over a pancake? Absolute heaven (although I have taken to eating this directly from the gingham-topped jar). Want something fancier? Well have a look at the recipe below and add it to your repertoire immediately because it will take your Pancake Day celebrations to the next level. Promise. It’s too good to eat just once a year…

ALMOND CRÊPES WITH PLUMS IN THYME AND BLACKCURRANT SYRUP (serves four): The fanciest pancake recipe that I’ve attempted that turned out so good that I should have given myself a mini round of applause. Sweet and creamy with a complex taste thanks to the thyme, make this four person recipe for two people and thank me later.

For the plums in syrup: 6 tbsp Bonne Maman Blackcurrant Conserve, juice of 1 orange, 2 tbsp light soft brown sugar, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (tied in a muslin), 150ml red wine, 250g small plums (halved and stoned).

For the crêpes: 50g butter (melted, plus extra for cooking), 100g plain flour, 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, 300ml milk, 1 tbsp caster sugar, 150g toasted flaked almonds. 

For the filling: 200ml mascarpone cheese, 150ml double cream, 1 tsp orange zest, icing sugar (for dusting). 

Make your plums in syrup first, by adding all the ingredients to a small pan on a medium-low heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the plums are just tender. Next prep your creamy filling, by stirring together the mascarpone and double cream, then grating some orange zest into the mix – set aside until you’re ready to assemble your masterpiece. Now it’s time to make your crêpes by whisking together the ingredients in a bowl, and adding 50ml of cold water – it’s the secret!

Heat a 18-20cm crêpe pan and brush it lightly with melted butter. Sprinkle some of the toasted almonds onto the pan and pour a ladle of the mixture over the top; tilting the pan so that the batter spreads evenly across the surface. Cook for one minute until the underside is golden, then flip and cook for a minute on the other side. Remove it from the pan when it’s cooked and repeat until you have used up all the batter. To serve, spread the creamy mixture all over your crepe, roll, then drizzle some of the plums in syrup over the top. Finish it off with any leftover toasted almonds you have, icing sugar and orange zest. ENJOY!

Happy Pancake Day

Happy Pancake Day

Crispy Vietnamese pancakes

The distinctive fresh flavours of Vietnam are showcased in this tasty pancake.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 pinches ground white pepper
• 2/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup iced water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 200g pork mince
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally
• 500g medium cooked prawns, peeled, deveined, chopped
• 1/2 cup snow pea sprouts, trimmed
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• Nuoc cham sauce, (see related recipe) to serve

METHOD

• Step 1
  Combine flours, turmeric, salt and a pinch of pepper in a bowl. Add coconut milk and iced water. Stir until smooth. Cover. Refrigerate for 1 hour to rest.
• Step 2
  Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a 22cm (base) non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 4 minutes or until browned. Add fish sauce and remaining pinch of pepper. Cook for 2 minutes or until fish sauce has almost evaporated. Remove from heat. Add half the onion. Stir to combine. Wipe the pan clean.
• Step 3
  Add remaining onion to batter. Brush pan with half the remaining oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Add half the batter to pan. Tilt pan, swirling batter to cover base and slightly up the side. Cook for 4 minutes or until base is golden. Place half the mince mixture and half the prawn on half the pancake. Top with half the sprouts and mint. Fold over to enclose. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Step 4
  Cut each pancake into thirds. Serve with Nuoc cham

CHINESE PANCAKES FOR CRISPY DUCK

INTRODUCTION

This works a dream. They are a little more moist and chewy than the shop bought papery versions, but I think a million miles better. It is an abridged verion of a recipe from "The Food of China" by Deh-Ta Hsiung and Nina Simonds.

INGREDIENTS

Serves: 6 (5 each)

• 450 grams plain flour
• 310 millilitres boiling water
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• sesame oil

METHOD

Stir the boiling water into the flour, add the oil and knead into a firm dough. Cover with a damp towel or cling film and set aside 30 mins. Knead dough 5 mins until smooth.

Divide and roll into three cylinders, cut each cylinder into 8-10. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and press into a flat disc with the palm of your hand.

Brush one disc with sesame oil and place another disc on top. Using a rolling pin, flatten each pair of discs into a 6 inch pancake. Heat an ungreased frying pan over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and place the pairs of pancakes, on at a time, into the pan.

Turn over when brown spots start to appear on the underside. When the second side is cooked, lift the pancakes out and carefully peel them apart.

Fold each pancake in half with the cooked side facing inwards, and set aside under a damp cloth. For 10 mins before serving, steam the pancakes in a steamer over simmering water.

Happy pancake day

Happy pancake day