The trick to making a perfect pancake is to allow the batter to rest once it has been mixed. Although an hour’s rest will do, by allowing it to sit in the refrigerator overnight you are guaranteed success. If you don’t need a dozen pancakes, make them anyway, and having placed a square of greaseproof paper between each one, carefully pack the excess into the freezer for use another day. I prefer self-raising flour for my pancakes as I find it produces a light texture, but plain flour is popular too.

YOU WILL NEED:

8oz self-raising flour Two free-range eggs 600ml milk ½ tsp salt ½oz melted butter also butter to cook the pancakes Two lemons cut into wedges for garnish Caster sugar to scatter on finished pancakes

 

METHOD

Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the salt.

Make a well in the middle of the flour and beat in the eggs. Pour the milk into the mix and whisk until it becomes a smooth batter and all lumps have gone.

Pour in the melted butter and mix again.

Allow to rest, preferably overnight if possible.

Place a frying pan on to the stove and turn the heat up high.

Add a little butter to the pan.

When the butter has dissolved, pour in enough batter to cover the base of the pan and allow it to settle.

Using a palette knife test by turning a little of the pancake at edge to see if it is done on the underside after a few moments. If it has turned a delicious brown, flip it over with the knife unless you feel confident enough to try and toss it, which is great fun if you can get that right, but a messy procedure if you don’t.

Continue cooking the pancakes on each side, placing them in a pile, with a sheet of greaseproof paper between each one for ease of handling when they are done.

Serve warm, scatter caster sugar over them and garnish with lemon wedges.