Nothing is more versatile than the simple pancake. You can eat it for breakfast. You can have it for lunch. If you add some adventurous savory fillings you can even have a pancake as your main course for dinner. And we all know that you can easily have a pancake for dessert…
The thing is that people are scared of making pancakes. They buy ready made pancakes, they buy mixes – which is really crazy as all a pancake mix can be is a bag of ingredients.
The irony is that the trick to making successful pancakes has little or nothing to do with ingredients or equipment (apart from the basics).
Because the trick to making pancakes is confidence.
Plain and simple, common or garden confidence.
Confidence (The Secret to Success):
If you have the basic raw materials and access to a pan and a source of heat you will – without any doubt – make some delicious pancakes as long as you are absolutely positive you can’t fail.
It doesn’t matter if the batter turns lumpy.
It doesn’t matter if the first attempt sticks to the pan and you have to scrape it off with a dessert-spoon (true life story alert) – all that matters is that you believe you can make those delicious treats and you will accomplish your goal.
This is not hypnotism or egotism. This is just a fact. If you believe in them they will be wonderful. And all you need to really know is that anyone can make pancakes. Once you stop doubting your pancake making abilities, success is assured. This realization brings confidence and this confidence results in perfect pancakes.
Every time.
Making pancakes is like practicing the philosophy and wisdom of every self-help book or course you ever encountered. You cannot fail. Because making pancakes is like everything else in life, it’s all about trial and error which, in turn, is all about confidence. The confidence that comes from knowing that no matter how many times they fall apart, you are able to make delicious pancakes.
So, tap into your innate pancake making potential – and enjoy!
Pancakes:
(a recipe for success…)
Basic Pancake Recipe (makes approximately 12 pancakes)
Ingredients
100 grammes of plain flour
A pinch of salt
1 egg
300 millilitres of milk
1tablespoon of melted butter or sunflower oil (optional)
Method
i) Machine – Put all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and switch it on. Allow the machine to beat the mixture for c.1 minute.
If you don’t have a blender or food processor, don’t despair, you can still successfully make delicious pancakes (remember the real secret is in your head not your kitchen).
ii) Manual – Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack the egg into a cup and add half the milk and beat lightly. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the well in the flour, stirring all the time. Beat the mixture to a smooth (or even smoothish) batter. Add the rest of the milk and beat again.
However you make it let the mixture stand for 30 minutes if you can wait. Stir it once again before cooking.
How To Cook your Pancakes:
Heat a frying pan until very hot. Use a heavy pan if you have one. Turn the heat to medium. Lightly grease the pan with oil and pour in c. 2 tablespoons of batter (depends on the size of the pan). Tilt the pan to spread the pancake mix until it thinly covers the base of the frying pan.
Cook over a moderate heat for 1-2 minutes or until the bubbles in the batter have mostly burst and the top is starting to look dry, The edges of the pancake may also visibly be beginning to brown. Flip the pancake with a fish slice or palette knife, or a stylish flick of the wrist – whatever works for you and cook on the second side.
Eating Your Pancake:
You won’t need too many instructions in order to accomplish this part of the operation. Try a pancake spread with delicious butter. Try sprinkling it with caster sugar and lemon juice. Try jam. Honey. Maple syrup. Sliced bananas. Blueberries. All fruit. Add ice-cream or cream. Try slices of fried bacon and maple syrup together rolled up into a pancake. Melt cheese on it. Make a ham and cheese toastie with your pancake…
Frankly, try anything you can think of with your pancake.
Now you have mastered one pancake, the sky’s the limit.
If John the Cook could follow a pancake recipe and make these exemplary pancakes in 1874 on a campfire – how can you even doubt your own pancake abilities?
