Better Batters
Batter isn’t just for making plain pancakes, as these delicious recipes prove. So if you want to make a better batter why not try branching out and making something a little different. Once you’ve mastered the basic pancake you can try adding a host of fillings, including this passion-fruit curd. Or how about curried parsnip pancakes with minty dip or bacon, leek & mushroom filled mustard pancakes.
Basic Pancake
makes: about 8 x 20cm or 15 x 15cm pancakes
calories per 20cm pancake: 120
fat per 20cm pancake: 5g
saturated fat per 20cm pancake: 2g
suitable for freezing: YES
Ingredients:
- 125g plain flour
- pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs
- 350ml milk
- sunflower oil, for greasing
1. Sift the flour and salt into bowl. Break the eggs into the centre and slowly whisk in the milk. Gradually stir in the flour so the batter doesn’t become lumpy. Or place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and whizz until smooth. Pour the batter into a jug.
2. Heat a frying pan and grease lightly by wiping a sheet of kitchen paper dipped in oil over the base. When the pan is hot, pour in batter, swirling it around the pan to give a thin, even layer over the base. Cook until the underside of the pancake is a light golden colour, then either toss it or use a palette knife to turn it over.
3. Cook for 1-2 mins more on the other side. Slide the pancake out of the pan on to a plate. Cook the rest of the batter in the same way, layering up the cooked pancakes with a sheet of kitchen paper or baking parchment between each, so they don’t stick together. Keep in a warm oven if serving hot.
OUR TIP: Wrap the stack of cold pancakes, with paper still in between, in a plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight before using.
Pancakes with passion fruit curd
serves:3-4
calories per pancake: 691
fat: 43g
saturated fat: 21g
suitable for freezing: NO
Ingredients:
- 6-8 x 15 cm pancakes
- Icing sugar, for dusting
for the curd:
- 8 passion fruit
- 4 egg yolks
- 150g caster sugar
- 125g butter
- pinch of salt
1. Halve the passion fruit, then scoop out seeds and flesh into a bowl – you should have about 175g in total. Add the remaining ingredients and beat well. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the bowl from the pan. Leave to cool to thicken to a spreading consistency.
2. Spread 1-2 tbsp curd on to each hot pancake and roll up. Serve dusted with icing sugar
batter – pastella
to branch out – diversificarsi
a host of – un mare di
passion fruit – frutto della passione, maracuja
curd – crema (con burro-zucchero-uova)
curried – qui: saporito
parsnip – pastinaca
minty dip – salsa alla menta
saturated fat – grassi saturiti
suitable for – adatto a
freezing – congelamento
pinch of salt – pizzico di sale
sunflower oil – olio di girasole
for greasing – per l’ingrassaggio
to sift – setacciare
bowl – ciotola
to whisk – sbattere, mescolare
to stir in – mescolare
batter – pastella
lumpy – grumoso
food processor – mixer, robot da cucina
to whizz – frullare, amalgamare
jug – caraffa
frying pan – padella
to wipe – strofinare
kitchen paper – carta da cucina
to dip – inzuppare
to pour in – versare
to swirl – mulinare
even – uniforme
layer – strato
to toss – gettare
palette knife – coltello „paletta”
to slide – scorrere
baking parchment – carta da forno
to stick together – restare uniti
to wrap – avvolgere
to defrost – scongelare
icing sugar – zucchero a velo
for dusting – per spolevare
egg yolk – tuorlo d’uovo
caster sugar – zucchero extrafine
to halve – dimezzare
to scoop out – svuotare, tirare fuori
seed – seme
flesh – qui: polpa
to beat – sbattere
simmering water – acqua bollente
occasionally – occasionalmente
to thicken – addensarsi
to coat – coprire
to remove – rimuovere
to cool – rinfrescare, raffreddare
spreading consistency – una consistenza da spalmare
tbsp tablespoon – cucchiaio
to roll up – arrotolare
