Who doesn’t love Pancake Day? With the cold weather still upon us, there’s no better way to keep entertained indoors than mixing, flipping, and serving up stacks of glorious pancakes.
But if previous years have been marred by lumpy, runny batter and flipping disasters, never fear. Our straightforward guide will help make this year different. With silky smooth batter and the perfect flipping technique – this year you’ll nail it.
How to make pancakes from scratch
Ingredients (serves 4)
200g plain flour
2 large eggs
400ml milk
1 tsp vegetable oil
Utensils
Large frying pan
Whisk
Large bowl
Thin spatula
Prep (less than 10 minutes)
Put the plain flour in a bowl, before using your (clean) fingers to make a well at its centre
Crack the eggs into a saucer and pour into the well
Add 400ml of milk into the well
Beat the mixture with a hand mixer, working to incorporate all the flour until you have a smooth batter
Cooking (less than 30 minutes)
Put a large frying pan on the hob on a medium heat
Drizzle vegetable oil and swirl it around until it is hot and the pan evenly coated
Spoon 2 tbsp of pancake batter in the centre of the pan and swirl around until the base is coated in a thin layer of batter (depending on the size of your pan – you may need to vary the amount of mixture)
Cook for approximately one minute on each side, flipping them with the spatula – or toss them if you’re feeling brave
How to make pancakes in an air fryer
Ingredients
200g self-raising flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
3 large eggs
25g melted butter, plus extra for cooking
200ml milk
Vegetable oil, for cooking
Method
Mix all ingredients together until you get a nice thick batter. This will stop it running.
Place a small square of greased baking paper in your air fryer and pour on a small circle of batter.
Carefully place a square of baking paper on top and repeat. Start with 4 pancakes to be on the safe side.
Set air fryer for 200°C and cook for 10 minutes then check the top pancake to see if it’s golden brown.
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Best toppings
Dolloping on your favourite toppings is the best way to crown the perfect pancake. We've chosen a few of our fave toppings for you to try out…
1. Cinnamon sugar and lemon
We've all been enjoying sugar and lemon pancakes for generations, but what about cinnamon sugar and lemon?
Just mix a quarter of a cup of sugar with 1tbsp of ground cinnamon. Then, when your pancakes are fresh out of the frying pan, sprinkle the mixture over them, roll tightly and tuck in - yum.
2. Banana and chocolate sauce
Bring the summer BBQ favourite inside for a winter twist - put them together inside your pancake and you have a filling that's simple, but undeniably delicious.
You can make a simple chocolate sauce, then slice up some banana, lay it in the centre of your pancake, drizzle over the chocolate sauce and fold closed.
3. Ham and mozzarella
If you don’t have a sweet tooth, take some continental inspiration. You'll need around 100g mozzarella cheese and 80g smoked and shredded ham.
Once you've flipped your pancake, scatter some of the cheese and ham liberally over the cooked side. Once the pancake is cooked, fold over - flip again, and then slide onto a warm plate - when you cut into it the mozzarella will be stringy and the ham warm and crisp.
Feeling adventurous? Take a look at our list of 10 weirdly wonderful pancake toppings.
The perfect flipping technique
Researchers at Warwick University said you should be aiming to toss your pancake around 18 inches into the air to give it enough time and space to spin.
Dr Patrick Hadley, at Warwick University, said: "It's all about synchronising the spin with the throw and making sure the elevation is high enough to get the best arc
Think you've got the process nailed? Now make sure you have the right kit. These helpful gadgets will fix you up some batter in no time...
Bye-bye lumpy, runny batters
The BRAUN MultiQuick 5 Hand Blender comes with a 600 ml beaker - which is perfect for all the batter you need. The blender is also designed to be anti-splash, so much less rogue pancake batter making a mess of your worktops!
Its 4 accessories means it can take on much more than pancakes, and they're dishwasher safe too. So ditch the scrubbing and go relax in front of the TV with a belly full of pancakes!
Hello, flipping great pancakes!
You’ll be creating amazing pancakes for years to come with this durable and beautifully designed Kitchenaid Artisan Stand Mixer.
It’s elegant, yet practical. Simply lift the mechanism up and out of the way when you need to move the bowl or change the attachment, and click it back into place after. It’s easy to use and easy to clean.
And with a dough hook, whisk and beaters included, you can easily choose the attachment you need for every recipe – including, of course, yummy moreish pancakes.
Need more help?
Our ShopLive colleagues may not be pancake experts but they sure know their kitchen tech. Why not jump on a video chat and they'll help you find just what you're looking for.
