Pancake Day Recipes

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday and falls on 21st February this year. It’s the day before Lent begins for Christians which is 40 days of fasting (or giving something up that you enjoy as is more likely now) before Easter. Traditionally Shrove Tuesday would be a feast day when people used up lots of their foods and pancakes are the perfect vehicle for this - hence it’s now often known as Pancake day. In most households it’s a treat day so I thought I’d share some brilliant Pancake Tuesday recipes with you. Pancakes are a brilliant food for weaning and for toddlers. They can be sweet or savoury and a perfect for eating with little fingers. Add to the fact they are quick to whip up with minimal ingredients and you’re onto a family winner!

If you don’t fancy whipping up your own pancakes, we have some fab places in the Bromley borough that you can visit for pancakes, I'm not sure of you'll need to book at this time of the year so check first.

Basic Crepe Recipe

Crepes are the very thin pancakes we’re more used to in the UK. They work well with sweet or savoury toppings and are so easy to make. They are also great fun to flip - everyone in our house likes to take a turn!

Try this Jamie Oliver recipe and then pile it up with your choice of topping;

• 3 large free-range eggs
• 125 g plain flour
• 250 ml milk

Jamie's Method

1. Crack the eggs into a blender, then add the flour, milk and 1 pinch of sea salt, and blitz until smooth.
2. Pour into a bowl and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
3. Melt the butter (or a drizzle of oil if you want to be a bit healthier) in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat, then tilt the pan so the butter coats the surface.
4. Pour in 1 ladle of batter and tilt again, so that the batter spreads all over the base, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it starts to come away from the sides.
5. Once golden underneath, flip the pancake over and cook for 1 further minute, or until cooked through.
6. Serve straightaway with your favourite topping.

Our favourite toppings are:
Banana and Nutella
Lemon and Sugar
Nutella and Strawberries
Golden Syrup

Fluffy American Pancake Recipe

American pancakes are an altogether heartier affair. Thick, fluffy and deliciously sweet, they are less suited to savoury toppings.

Try this recipe, another Jamie Oliver one but I love how simplistic his recipes are so will you I'm sure!

• 3 large free-range eggs
• 115 g plain flour
• 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
• 140 ml milk

Jamie's Method

1. First separate the eggs, putting the whites into one bowl and the yolks into another.
2. Add the flour, baking powder and milk to the yolks and mix to a smooth thick batter.
3. Whisk the whites with 1 pinch of sea salt until they form stiff peaks, then fold into the batter – it is now ready to use.
4. Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat, pour some of the batter into the pan and cook for a couple of minutes, or until it starts to look golden and firm.
5. At this point sprinkle your chosen flavouring (see below) onto the uncooked side before loosening with a spatula and flipping the pancake over. Continue frying until both sides are golden.
6. You can make these pancakes large or small, depending on what you prefer. Serve them with a drizzle of maple syrup, or even with some butter or crème fraîche. If you choose to sprinkle with a flavouring, try one of these... fresh corn from the cob, crispy bacon or pancetta, blueberries, banana, stewed apple, grated chocolate – anything else you can imagine...

Our favourite toppings are:
Bacon and maple syrup - yes really. Try it!
Nutella and Strawberries
Lemon and Sugar, yep even on fluffy pancakes lol!

I'd love to see the pancakes you create - and especially any pancake flipping that you do! Every family album needs a pancake flip in it - you can share yours with me on social media instagram @ashleighsheaphotography