Having recently gained two Canadian house-mates, who have a passion for food that rivals my own, I have had reason to whip this recipe out several times since moving in with them. These are Nigella Lawson’s American Breakfast Pancakes from Domestic Goddess. Fluffy, light and fantastically good with maple syrup, these are not the thin, rubbery pancakes so often served up on Sunday mornings (borne of the pre-mix ‘jugs’ from the supermarket). The secret here is a little bit of time. Try these next weekend and you will win praise and gratitude, guaranteed.
Ingredients:
- 300ml milk
- 30 grams butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 225 grams plain flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- A pinch of salt
- More butter for frying
If you have a food processor big enough to hold these ingredients, Nigella instructs just putting everything in and blitzing until you reach a smooth batter consistency. As I do not have that luxury, I first mix all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, sugar) in a bowl and make a well in the centre.
Next, I add in all the wet ingredients (melted butter, eggs, milk) and stir well with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth.
Now comes the crucial, non-negotiable step; the batter MUST be allowed to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes or up to an hour. I have made this same recipe without resting the batter and the results are drastically different.
Once the pancakes have rested, and you have rounded up the troops (these are best served immediately), melt some butter in your pan and dollop them in. I use about 2 tablespoons per pancake to give between 12 and 16 pancakes, depending on how generous my milk measurements were that day.
Once the pancakes are bubbling and it’s easy to slide the flipper underneath, turn them over and give them another minute to brown.
Serve immediately with maple syrup or your choice of topping. Ice cream and bananas are another favourite choice in our house. These pancakes can truly induce domestic bliss in any house and are a great start to your weekend.
P.S. While I like to eat my pancakes in the conventional manner, slicing as I go, one of my house-mates prefers to cut them up entirely before he begins eating ‘for even syrup distribution’. I like to call this ‘pancake salad’ (see above) or ‘ridiculous’ but it does provide some mirth at the table, so I can’t complain!
A Tale of Two Kitchens 