With Shrove Tuesday around the corner, what better time to learn how to make the perfect pancakes? Whether you want to offer your customers a special Pancake Day treat or make pancakes a year-round addition to your menu, you’ll need to know how to create that delicious base before you even think about coming up with inventive topping ideas.
Keep reading for tried and tested pancake recipes that are sure to have your customers coming back for more!
Fluffy American pancakes
For gloriously soft and fluffy pancakes that melt in the mouth, follow these simple steps:
- Combine together 290g all-purpose flour, 60g sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 4 teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
- Mix together 440ml milk, 60g slightly cooled melted butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 large egg. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it.
- Fold the dry and wet ingredients together until smooth. The batter should be thick and creamy.
- Preheat a non-stick pan or griddle over a medium heat. Once it’s hot, reduce the heat to low-medium and wait 2 minutes. Lightly grease the pan with a small amount of butter and wipe away any excess with a paper towel.
- Use a ladle to pour some pancake batter into the pan, starting from the centre and pouring slowly in a circular motion so that it spreads into perfectly round shapes.
- Then, just stand back and allow the pancakes to cook properly! Make sure you don’t rush them by turning the heat up or flip them too early. When bubbles start forming on the visible surface, they are ready to flip.
- To get the perfect flip, grab a plastic spatula and slide it underneath the pancake. Then, use your wrist to gently flip it, rather than moving your entire arm.
- Repeat this process as many times as you like, and then your pancakes are ready to be served!
Classic crêpes
Many of us prefer a classic crêpe to the thick, fluffy American-style pancakes. The process is, for the most part, the same – it’s the ingredients that make the biggest difference.
To make delicious, delicate crêpes mix 125g all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and ⅛ teaspoon salt, before then whisking together 2 large eggs, 3 tablespoons of slightly cooled melted butter, 180ml milk, and 120ml water in a separate bowl or jug.
Once again, make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour the wet ingredients into it, and mix them until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and combine them that way. Either way, the batter should be the consistency of cream.
From this point on, you can follow the same process as the American pancake recipe above – just go to Step 4. Note that crêpes will only need around 2 minutes cooking time on each side.
If you need ingredients for your perfect pancakes, look no further than Freshways. We stock wholesale eggs and milk, as well as a wide range of other products. From cheese and butter to juice and bread, we’re sure to have what you need to keep your customers happy on Pancake Day and every other day! For more information, contact us now.