Three perfect pancake recipes to try on pancake Tuesday

Crêpes with spiced apple and caramel sauce

This is a classic recipe for the thin, French-style pancakes. Using half-milk and half-water allows for a light and thin batter.

Ingredients, serves 3-4

230g plain flour

1 pinch salt

4 eggs

300ml milk

300ml water

4 tbsp butter, melted

For the spiced apple and caramel sauce

2 apples, peeled, cored and cubed

40g unsalted butter, cubed

80g brown sugar

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp allspice

¼ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

50ml cream or full-fat milk

Method

1 To make the crêpes, put the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs. Add some of the milk and water mixture and begin to mix in the flour slowly.

2 Once the eggs and liquid are mixed in, continue to whisk in more of the liquid until all of the flour has been incorporated.

3 Add the butter and whisk until the batter is smooth. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

4 To make the spiced apple and caramel sauce, combine all the ingredients except for the cream or milk in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir until the butter is melted, then add half the milk or cream and bring to a simmer. Once the mixture begins to thicken, add the rest of the milk or cream. Continue to cook on a low heat until the apple is soft and the sauce turns to caramel, stirring as you go.

5 To cook the crêpes, brush a large flat frying pan with some butter or sunflower oil. Add a generous ladle of the batter to the hot pan and tilt the pan until the batter completely covers the base.

5 Leave to cook for a couple of minutes until small bubbles form. Flip to the other side and continue to cook for another minute or so.

6 Keep the pancakes warm in an oven until all the batter is used up, then serve with the apple and caramel sauce.

TIP: Unlike the thicker, fluffier style of pancakes, this batter is best made a bit in advance and kept in the fridge use.

Buttermilk pancakes with berry compote

These American-style pancakes are thicker than crêpes but they should have a light and fluffy texture. The trick is to not overbeat the mixture. These are lovely served with either berry compote and crème fraîche, but are also great with the classic maple syrup and bacon combination. If you have any berries in the freezer, such as blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, this berry compote is a great way of using them up.

Ingredients, serves 6

250g self-raising flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 tbsp caster sugar

225ml buttermilk

400ml low-fat milk

2 eggs

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the berry compote

400g mixed berries

75g caster sugar

1 squeeze lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp water

To serve

Crème fraîche

Method

1 To make the berry compote, add all the ingredients to a pot and bring to the boil. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes until the mixture becomes syrupy, but the fruit is still intact.

2 To make the pancakes, mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a jug, mix all the wet ingredients together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk or stir to combine. Don’t over-mix it. A few little lumps are normal and should disappear after a few minutes.

3 Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, brush some butter or oil on the pan. Using a ladle, pour the pancake batter onto the hot pan, ensuring each pancake is kept about 5cm apart from each other.

4 Once bubbles begin to appear on the top of the pancake batter, turn with a fish slice and cook on the other side for another minute. You want a nice, golden brown colour.

5 Keep the pancakes warm in an oven until all the batter is used up, then serve with the berry compote and some crème fraîche, Greek yoghurt or mascarpone mixed with a bit of vanilla paste or extract.

TIP: Add some blueberries to the pancake mix as soon as they hit the pan.

Buckwheat pancakes

Buckwheat pancakes may not look as good, but they’re a healthy alternative as well as being gluten-free. Buckwheat is actually a seed of a plant related to rhubarb. As well as being full of health-giving properties, it makes for deliciously light pancakes with a nutty flavour.

Ingredients, serves 4

120g buckwheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 egg

225ml buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

Method

1 In a blender, add all the dry ingredients and give a good stir to combine.

2 In a jug, mix together all the wet ingredients until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and give a good blitz until everything is smooth.

3 Heat a large frying pan and, once hot, brush with some oil, butter or coconut oil. Using a ladle, pour the pancake batter onto the hot pan, ensuring each pancake is kept about 5cm apart from each other. It’s best to keep them small.

4 Cook for a couple of minutes until bubbles start to appear. Flip and cook on the other side for another minute or so, until golden brown. Keep the pancakes warm in an oven until all the batter is used up, then serve.

TIP: Replace the buttermilk with unsweetened almond milk for a dairy-free alternative.