One of the hardest decisions to make on Shrove Tuesday is the kind of pancakes that you want to make.
While most recipes will differ for fluffy American pancakes and paper-thin crepes, Jamie Oliver’s method means you can do them all at once.
According to the chef, making one small adjustment makes it so easy to whip up more textured crepes or American-style pancakes.
He said: “I sometimes mix it up and swap 75g of plain flour for wholemeal to give my pancakes lovely texture and flavour.
“To make more American-style pancakes, swap the plain flour for self-raising, dolloping ladlefuls of batter into the pan without spreading it around the base.”
Method
A blender is an ideal tool for a really smooth batter when making pancakes, but for those who don’t have one, a bowl and whisk will do.
Start by cracking the eggs into the bowl or blender then add the measured flour, a small pinch of sea salt and blitz until smooth.
If making in a bowl, measure the flour and salt first, then make a well in the centre and crack the eggs into this. Whisk the eggs into the flour then gradually add the milk a little at a time to loosen the batter until thick and smooth.
Once blended, leave the mixture in a bowl to stand for 15 minutes. This is key to producing consistently good pancakes.
Melt the butter (or a drizzle of oil for those wanting to be a little healthier) in a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat, then tilt the pan so the butter coats the surface.
Pour in one ladle of batter and tilt again, so that the batter spreads all over the base, then cook for one to two minutes, or until it starts to come away from the sides.
Once golden underneath, flip the pancake over and cook for one minute more, or until cooked through. Serve straight away with sweet or savoury toppings.
