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Who else is dreaming up what delightful and sumptuous toppings they will try out on top of their fluffy pancakes this year? Definitely me! Whether it’s savoury or sweet options (or both) there are so many options to try! From the traditional toppings of lemon juice, chocolate, fresh fruit, bacon and maple syrup to the more adventurous toppings of fried chicken and salsa the list is endless.
But first, what is a pancake?
By definition a pancake is like a flat cake and is described as a batter bread. It is often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan, often frying with oil or butter.
The first recorded mention of pancakes dates back to ancient Greece and comes from a poet who described warm pancakes in one of his writings. Pancakes were then made from wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and curdled milk.
People began using the word “pancake” during the 15th century, and the word became standard in 19th century America. Previously, people referred to them as Indian cakes, hoe cakes, johnny cakes, journey cakes, buckwheat cakes, griddle cakes, and flapjacks.
So why do we have Pancake Tuesday or also known as Shrove Tuesday?
Shrove Tuesday is the holiday of feasting before Lent. ‘Shrove’ comes from the word 'shrive', which means to give absolution after hearing confession. So Shrove Tuesday is the day when people went to confession to prepare themselves for Lent, which begins on the following day, Ash Wednesday. Once upon a time, during Lent, people were not allowed to eat animal products like milk, butter, and eggs. To prevent them from going to waste, people cooked these ingredients into tall stacks of pancakes. They were consumed in such large amounts that this day earned the rightful name of Pancake Day.
The pancake's shape and structure varies worldwide. In the United Kingdom, pancakes are often unleavened and resemble a crêpe. In North America, a leavening agent is used (typically baking powder) creating a thick fluffy pancake. A crêpe is a thin Breton pancake of French origin cooked on one or both sides in a special pan or crepe maker to achieve a lacelike network of fine bubbles. A well-known variation originating from southeast Europe is a palačinke, a thin moist pancake fried on both sides and filled with jam, cream cheese, chocolate, or ground walnuts, but many other fillings—sweet or savoury—can also be used.
So what toppings will you decorate your pancakes with? Will you be like myself and stick to the old favourites of a drizzle of lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar or will you get the taste buds tingling with some exotic flavours and unique combinations?
Whatever way you top your pancake, you need a good foundation and nothing beats this tried and tested pancake recipe below. Simple to make, yet so delicious!
Ingredients:
Oil for greasing pan
225g Self Raising Soda Bread Flour (we used Neill's Flour)
75g Caster Sugar
1 Egg
300ml Buttermilk (we used Dale Farm)
Your choice of tasty toppings!
Utensils:
Measuring Jug
Weighing Scales
Frying Pan
Mixing Bowl
Sieve
Balloon Whisk.
Method:
Grease and heat a frying pan over a medium heat.
Sieve flour into mixing bowl and add sugar.
Beat an egg with whisk and add to mixing bowl.
Mix quickly into flour and sugar.
Add buttermilk and mix gradually until batter is smooth.
Add spoonful of batter into pan making a circular shape, with back of spoon.
Flip over when bubbles start to form and burst on pancake.
After a minute or so, remove pancake when cooked through.
Load up with your favourite toppings and enjoy!
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