Pancake inspiration

There are quite a lot of things I don’t like. Now I don’t mean that to sound grumpy. It’s not like I hate warm sunny days or romantic meals with expensive wine. I’m not stupid. But there are a fair few things I don’t like that I struggle to admit to. Mainly because it makes people reconsider me, or if we’re friends, reconsider our friendship.

Doughnuts. I don’t like them. Not one bit. It’s nothing but nothing to do with the calorific content. I don’t give two hoots about that. I just don’t like them and can think of better ways to spend my calories. Nightclubs. There’s another one. I hate them. Always have, always will. Too loud, too sweaty, too many queues for everything. Coats, drinks, loos, taxis…. it’s enough to make me want to stay at home in a sparkly dress and have my own little disco for one.

Playdoh mixing. I hate that with a passion and I am completely aware this puts me firmly in the anally retentive box. I just don’t understand why anyone would want to mix beautiful colours into a sludge of brown. Just buy brown.

And last but by no means least… pancakes. I have never liked them and I don’t think I ever will. I’ve eaten them in New York, all thick and light and American with maple and blueberries and sometimes bacon, I’ve eaten them thin and big enough to sit on wearing salopettes and factor 50 in a French ski resort. I’ve eaten them thin and tart and sweet with the addition of lemon and sugar at my mother’s kitchen table; before my feet even touched the floor. And I ate them at my own table last night with maple caramel syrup. I loved the syrup, just not the pancake.

Lucky for my husband my sons love a pancake, so whilst I don’t eat them, I do make them a lot. We even have a pancake song. I will not subject you though. What I will do is say that the pancake recipe I follow is from the Be-Ro book and you can find it here. What I thought might be useful is a list of all the things my lovely Facebook pals like to put in or on their pancakes. It’s an enlightening list. Rolo girl is my kind of person. I bet she’s very naughty indeed.

Comments, as always, welcomed – especially if you have a killer pancake topping that needs releasing into the world.

One year ago: Baileys chocolate fridge cake truffles  and Experimental banana loaf

Two years ago: Vanilla butter biscuits and Georgie’s ginger cake

Pancake fillings

• A line of Rolo’s across the middle, roll the pancake, warm through in the pan ’till they begin to melt, serve with really good vanilla ice cream.
• Warm cherries with ice cream…a la little Chef’s Jubilee pancake from my childhood. But as I cant find tinned cherries in the shops anymore..I’m settling for maple syrup and ice cream..or Nutella.
• Rolos and raspberries.
• Melted Nutella or warm marzipan with amaretto.
• Bacon and Maple Syrup or lemon and honey.
• Banana and Nutella.
• Raspberry’s and cream, rolled up then drizzled with golden syrup.
• I usually go for a spoonful of warmed strawberry jam folded inside, or the traditional lemon and sugar, but this year I might try blueberry and lemon curd which someone has recommended.
• I’m afraid I am rather boring and just love lemon juice and sugar. My husband however loves ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, syrup, and any other spice I might have in the cupboard!
• I slice bananas really thinly, put them in the frying pan then pour the batter round it to cook. Serve with vanilla ice-cream and maple syrup or chocolate sauce.
• American pancakes with maple syrup and a dollop of whipped cream.
• Orange juice, freshly squeezed. For savoury it has to be creamy mushrooms, lots of black pepper.
• Strawberries and chocolate chips…yummy!
• Dulce de leche and bananas!
• Melt mini eggs onto the pancakes whilst they are in the pan… amazing!
•  Bacon with maple syrup.
• Grated cheese and sugar.
• One we discovered in NYC – bacon, banana, peanut butter and maple syrup.
• Anything sweet Marshmallows all gooey are great but very sweet!
• Saute chicken and onion, once chicken is cooked through throw in a bag of baby spinach and wilt it. A good grating of nutmeg and some black pepper. Add low fat creme fraiche and some grated cheese. Roll the filling in the pancakes placed in an oven dish with some filling on top. Stick them in the oven so that the sauce bubbles and browns on top.
• Bananas & praline.
• Chicken and sweet corn, and chilli.
• Chocolate buttons melted in the middle!
• Dulce leche or good old sugar & lemon juice. Although I do them filled with ratatouille & cover in cheese sauce & bake in the oven like cannelloni.
• Roll up a pancake tube style, filling it ragu bolognese, allow 2-3 pancakes per person. Put in oven proof dish, cover with a white sauce then top with black pepper, nutmeg & Parmesan. Bake until golden brown!!
• Caramelised pineapple with a coconut cream liqueur.
• Basil pancakes with Gruyere and roasted peppers.
• Bacon and icing sugar.
• Christmas dinner.
• Banana and Flake.

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