As pancake day draws ever-nearer, I decided that it would be a good idea to explain how to make pancakes. This recipe is not the only recipe for pancakes, but is just one of many out there.
Ingredients
- 1/2 oz lard, or cooking fat, or 1 dessertspoon oil.
- 1/2 pint pancake batter
- Flavouring of choice (e.g. lemon and sugar, syrup, fruit, etc)
Recipe
1. Put your lard, cooking fat or oil into a small pan, and heat until a faint haze rises.
2. It is important to have a thin covering of batter only, so with a jug or spoon, pour out only enough to give a paper-thin covering in the pan.
3. Cook at a steady heat for two minutes. Then turn or flip the pancake, cooking the opposite side for a further two minutes.
4. The pancake is now ready, and can either have the filling put in at once, or have the pancake put on a hot dish. After each pancake, heat a little extra fat or oil before proceeding to cook the next.
How to keep Pancakes Hot
Once a pancake is cooked, put it onto a hot plate or dish, or if you prefer, a sheet of greaseproof paper covered in Castor sugar on a hot dish or plate.
It (or they) can be kept hot in an oven, with the heat turned very low, or kept hot on the plate on-top of a saucepan of hot water.
Serve as quickly (and safely) as possible.
For larger families, after making the pancakes, wrap them in foil and give them a final frying for 1/2 - 1 minute on each side. Then serve.
How to Turn a Pancake
Shake/wiggle the pan. Insert a broad-bladed palette knife (or something similar) underneath the pancake, and gently turn the pancake over.
How to Flip a Pancake
This isn't actually that difficult, only needing a minimal amount of practice.
Firstly, shake/wiggle the pan before you make the attempt at the toss, loosening it from the pan. If it moves sufficiently, it's cooked well, if it's sticking, then an extra 1/2 minute of cooking is needed.
Take the pan in your dominant hand (or whichever if you're ambidextrous), holding it securely, but not stiffly.
Point the pan downwards slightly, and give one sharp upward flick. The motion may have to be done through your arm.
The pancake should rise out of the pan, and if the flick was sufficient, the pancake should flip 180-degrees onto the uncooked side.
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