Shrove Tuesday is with us again next week and it’s time to get organized to prepare the pancakes for the family. Pancakes can be served savoury or sweet, thick or thin.Making pancakes can be great fun and always get the kids involved taking care when handling hot pans etc.
Pancakes are defined as a flat product savoury which made by frying batter in the minimum amount of fat.The most popular pancake is of the French Crepe variety, made from a thin batter, cooked in a thin layer on a lightly greased pan. The size and thickness may vary but the pancake should be thin enough to roll or wrap around a filling.
Always ensure that your batter is mixed to a very smooth texture and always allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes after mixing.
Use a heavy based metal pan or a non -stick pan to make pancakes.
Pancakes
Ingredients 10 Portions
250 Flour white or whole meal
3 Eggs
600m Milk
3 Eggs
125g Castor sugar
25g Melted butter
25ml oil
Pinch Salt
Method
Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre
Add the egg and milk gradually incorporating the flour from the sides, whisk to a smooth batter
Mix in the melted butter
Heat the pan and wipe clean with some oiled kitchen paper
Add a little oil and heat until just smoking
Add enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan thinly
Cook for a few seconds until brown
Turn and cook on the other side
Turn onto a plate
Sprinkle with sugar
For savoury pancakes omit the sugar
Fillings and accompaniments for Sweet pancakes
Lemon juice and castor sugar
Warm raspberry jam
Hot apple puree
Maple syrup
Toffee sauce
Summer fruits with crème Chantilly
Hot bananas and caramel sauce
Pancakes with summer fruits
Ingredients for 4 servings
4 Pancakes
100ml Cream
1tsp icing sugar
1 Dash grand mariner
A selection of fresh summer fruits to serve four . Raspberries, strawberries, kiwi, apples, peaches and bananas
Method
Place cream in a bowl and whisk, add sugar and grand mariner
Place a spoon of the cream in the centre of each pancake and place fruit on top
Fold over pancake and sprinkle with caster sugar
Pancakes with caramelized bananas
Ingredients 8 Portions
8 pancakes
4 Bananas
8 Scoops of vanilla ice cream
Icing sugar for dusting
Method
Caramel sauce
250g sugar
150ml water
150ml cream
100g unsalted butter
Boil sugar and water in a saucepan until it starts to caramelize
When golden brown in colour ,remove from heat and whisk in butter and cream
Add sliced bananas and cook for one minute
Place a scoop of ice cream in center of each pancake and pour over bananas and sauce ,fold over pancake and dust with icing sugar
Classic crepe suzette
Ingredients 4 Portions
2 Pancakes
2 Oranges
2 Lemons
1 measure curacao
1 measure cognac
100g Butter
100g Castor sugar
Method
Peel and Segment the oranges and lemons, reserve the segments and extract the juice from the pulp
Place half of the sugar into a warm pan over medium heat
As it begins to caramelize add the butter and stir in
Add half of the citrus juice and mix in well
Add the curacao
Add remaining juice and sugar
Add folded pancakes and coat well with the sauce
Finally just before serving add the cognac, flame and serve onto plates
Be careful and enjoy.
with Bridge House Hotel Award Winning chef Paddy Kennedy
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