Well, sugar free pancakes that is until you add maple syrup in bucket loads. These pancakes will save you from the summer holidays. These and a glass of wine and perhaps a bit of screen time.
The first school summer holidays I experienced as a mother surprised me. Not because of the need to find interesting activities that didn’t cost the earth, all in the pursuit of staving off the moan of ‘we’re bored’. That seemed like an obvious possibility. I was armed and dangerous with garden toys, crafting activities and play dates aplenty.
No, the problem wasn’t in finding stuff to do, it was in feeding the masses without breaking the bank. It felt like my debit card was constantly steaming hot from use at various supermarkets. My bank balance depleted at an alarming rate due to the need to fill those little tummies. It seems that the midday school lunch feeding by the boys school was providing a lot more nourishment and sustenance than I might have given them credit for.
This recipe for sugar free pancakes is an easy win for any morning (that’s if you spend maybe 5 minutes the night before weighing out ingredients). Loved by all three of my young musketeers, and enjoyed by older members of the family too.
This recipe first appeared in Back to School magazine.
Last year: Coconut oaty cookies, Old fashioned chocolate cake, Apple and gruyere soda bread, Coconut and lime drizzle cake, Passion fruit mousse and White chocolate and lemon mousse.
Two years ago: Fruity tiffin, Quiche in a mug, Black and blue muffins and Tropical breakfast bars
Three years ago: Salmon and asparagus quiche, Rosemary chicken Dijon stew, Lemon, blueberry and white chocolate cupcakes, Apple, ginger and maple syrup cake and my Grandma’s Cornish ginger fairings from my book
Four years ago: Oaty peanut butter cookies, Stuffed picnic loaf and Melting meringue kisses
Five years ago: Halloumi, bean and asparagus salad, Lemon & coriander turkey burgers and Birthday cake for a princess of prince
Six years ago: Honeyed apples in sweet almond pastry, Lemon cupcakes and Rye bread
Seven years ago: Salmon and sweet potato fishcakes, Victoria sponge cake and Carrot fritters
Sugar Free Pancakes
Makes about 8, scale the recipe up as you need to
Ingredients:
- 130g plain flour
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 240ml milk
- 1 large egg
- Groundnut or sunflower oil, for frying
Place the flour in a large bowl and mix in the bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Cover for the morning. In a jug measure the milk, cover and refrigerate. In the morning simply crack an egg into the milk and whisk until well mixed. Add the milk and egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Using a metal spoon, mix well until no lumps remain.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once the oil starts to sizzle add a ladle of the pancake mixture so that it spreads to about 10cm wide. Once it starts to look firm, between 40 seconds and 2 minutes later (this is dependant on the ferocity of the heat), use a fish slice to flip the pancake over. It should be lightly browned on the flipped side – if it’s very dark turn the heat down. Fry on the other side for 40 seconds to 1½ minutes, again depending on the heat. Remove from the pan and keep warm wrapped in a tea towel whilst you make the others. Repeat using up all the batter to make about 8 pancakes.
If you can’t eat them all then just place them between layers of greaseproof paper to stop them from sticking and keep them either in the fridge or freezer. Don’t save the batter uncooked, there are too many raising agents added for that.
Serve with fresh fruit, maple syrup or just as they are.
Yield: 8
- 130g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 240mls milk
- 1 large egg
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Place the flour in a large bowl and mix in the bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Cover for the morning. In a jug measure the milk, cover and refrigerate. In the morning simply crack an egg into the milk and whisk until well mixed. Add the milk and egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Using a metal spoon, mix well until no lumps remain. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once the oil starts to sizzle add a ladle of the pancake mixture so that it spreads to about 10cm wide. Once it starts to look firm, between 40 seconds and 2 minutes later (this is dependant on the ferocity of the heat), use a fish slice to flip the pancake over. It should be lightly browned on the flipped side – if it’s very dark turn the heat down. Fry on the other side for 40 seconds to 1½ minutes, again depending on the heat. Remove from the pan and keep warm wrapped in a tea towel whilst you make the others. Repeat using up all the batter to make about 8 pancakes. If you can’t eat them all then just place them between layers of greaseproof paper to stop them from sticking and keep them either in the fridge or freezer. Don’t save the batter uncooked, there are too many raising agents added for that. Serve with fresh fruit, maple syrup or just as they are.
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Holly Bell 
They certainly look delicious, but am I missing something? I’ve never used sugar to make pancake batter. Aren’t all pancakes sugar-free? Flour, milk and an egg seem to do the job very nicely (and I suppose the baking powder/bicarbonate of soda give them the fluffy, American style).