Pancake Day is crêping up on us
(mark Tuesday 13 February on your calendar) and with it comes excitement as well as pressure to
make those perfect pancakes - golden on the outside and light and fluffy on the
inside!
Head Chef Steve Smith from Michelin Starred Bohemia has
got you covered as he has shared his tips on how to make the pancakes of dreams
this Shrove Tuesday.
1.
Better Batter
Ensure that you have good batter by keeping all of the
ingredients at room temperature. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet
ingredients in another. Incorporate the two bowls of ingredients by making a
well in the dry ingredients and pouring in the wet mixture. Stir gently until
all of the ingredients are combined and moist.
Don’t worry about the lumps in the batter! Once they are
on the griddle they will cook out fine. If you overwork the batter the pancakes
will turn out tough and chewy.
2.
Rest the Batter
It may be difficult to resist but it is crucial to allow
the batter to rest for a minimum of five minutes. This will give the gluten,
which you have created from mixing the batter, time to relax and for the lumps
in the batter to smooth out. This will give the pancakes a thick consistency
and they will turn out fluffier. The rest period will give you time to clean up
and prep your pancake toppings.
3.
Add Flavour
If you are bored of your usual pancakes with lemon and
sugar, add flavour into the batter instead. My favourite ingredients to add
include spices, citrus zest, herbs, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla extract,
chocolate chips, raisins, cheese or sweetcorn!
4.
Make it Fun
Make shapes with your pancakes by pouring the batter into
a metal pastry cutter or mould. Alternatively you can pour the batter into a
squeeze bottle and draw your design directly onto the pan.
5.
Keep Them Warm
Pancakes are
best enjoyed fresh from the pan, but if you do make a whole batch at once keep
them warm by arranging them in a single layer on an oiled cooking rack. Place
them in a preheated oven at 80°C for a
maximum of 15 minutes.
