Sunday Brunch Pancakes

It is on mornings like this when my to-do list is never ending and the cupboards are slightly bare that the most likely breakfast managable will be a bowl of cereal or slice or two of toast. For someone as food obsessed as myself I cant help but feel like this is a wasted opportunity for a delicious feast. That is perhaps why on many weekday mornings I feel myself daydreaming of what awaits on Sunday morning, Sunday the most relaxed and slow paced of mornings throughout the week. A chance to sleep later and take a little more time for everything whether it be putting on eyeliner or preparing the most important meal of the day. As with most things there are rules in our household for what makes a suitable brunch menu. First of all it has to be something we will all eat. No joy comes from juggling three recipes and the purpose of time in the kitchen is to have fun not to be stressed. Secondly the recipe of choice can't create too many dirty dishes, again the purpose of time in the kitchen is to have fun and I have yet to meet someone who enjoys washing up.

And so I bring you my recipe for pancakes. The texture of these pancakes is somewhere between a traditional scotch pancake and the more dense American pancake. The recipe is designed not to be overly sweet so that you can combine them with maple syrup, jam or fruit compote. Oh and as a bonus no scales are required, just a cup or mug!

Ingredients (This is for 8 pancakes, just double the recipe if you need more)

1 cup or small mug of plain flour
1/4 cup or small mug of sugar
Generous pinch of bicarbonate of soda
1 free range egg
1 cup or small mug of milk (whatever you have in the fridge)
Splash of flavourless oil such as vegetable oil
Butter and Syrup to serve

Method

Before starting the pancake mix one of the most important and yet most forgotten steps is to heat your syrup. Syrup can of course be used straight from the bottle but its flavour can be greatly enhanced by just heating it slightly and this step also makes it more pourable. My method of choice is to decant enough syrup for all into a heatproof jug or ramekin and place on the plate warming part of your hob, it can be left there on a low heat until ready to use.

For the pancakes add the plain flour to a bowl along with the sugar and bicarbonate of soda, there is no need to sieve. If you happen to have a bowl with a pouring spout like the one pictured even better as it will reduce your dirty dishes.

Create a well in the center of the flour mix and add the egg, whisk gently bringing in some of the flour before adding the milk little by little to create a thick but pourable batter without lumps.

Heat the oil in a frying pan with a knob of butter on a medium heat before pouring a small amount of batter into the center of the pan to make a pancake around 4-5 inches wide. To achieve the best possible texture for your pancakes try to be patient and avoiding moving the pancake or pulling at its edges for now. After a minute or two you will start to see bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake, when the bubbles cover most of the surface now is the time to turn. The pancake will need only half as much time on its second side.

Remove the pancake to a kitchen towel lined plate and repeat the process until all the batter mix is used. If you find the pancakes are browning too much before the bubbles appear then just reduce the heat.

Don't worry if you don't use all your pancakes in one go, they can be stored in an airtight container to be reheated or toasted the next day or better still frozen and defrosted in the microwave when you get an unexpected visitor and need something to accompany a cup of tea.

Lulu x