The Perfect Pancake Recipe

A regular treat from mum, these are without doubt my favourite breakfast. I know some sticklers will point out that pancakes are actually smaller in diameter and thicker, while these are actually crêpes. Perhaps, but I have and will always refer to these discs of heaven as pancakes. So there.

 Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1½ cups of Milk
• 2 Eggs
• 30-60ml of Oil
• 9 tablespoons of Castor Sugar
• 1 cup of Cake Flour

 

Method

The batter is very, very tricky, so pay attention. Mix the milk, eggs, oil and sugar together in a bowl. Add the flour and whisk until consistent. And that's it.

Grease a flat, thick-bottomed pan and set it over high heat until warm, then turn it down to medium high heat. Using a medium sized, shallow and round serving spoon scoop up some of the mixture and pour it quickly into the middle of the pan. Pancakes cook very briskly, so immediately use the bottom of the spoon to spread the batter. Rest it lightly on the surface, supporting most of the weight, and move it in a spiral from the centre outwards. Generally, a small amount of batter remains in the spoon; use this to patch up any holes that may form from over-spreading or damaging the batter.

If you’re willing to brave the sticky and gooey, but absolutely worthwhile mess that ensues, then you can experiment by adding cinnamon sugar and other delectables to the batter before or during cooking.

After a few second of cooking, the edges of the pancake will begin to whiten and form small bubbles. Use a lifter to gently loosen these cooked edges, and by the time you’ve moved around the circumference of the pancake, the first side should be done. Scoop it up by pushing the lifter under it very quickly, and then flip it over. The side now facing up should be an even rich brown. Allow the second side to cook for about ten seconds and then lift it off the pan and place it carefully on the (hopefully) growing pile. I say hopefully because I assume you’ve been able to resist the urge to every single one as it comes off the pan.

I personally enjoy my pancakes with copious amounts of both sweetened fresh cream and maple syrup. Cinnamon Sugar (four tablespoons of sugar: 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder) and chocolate sauce are also frequent favourites, and I believe that some people quite like a dash of fresh lemon juice on theirs.