It’s the combination of hot and soft yet crisp-frilled eggy pancake, with a light surface of crunchy sugar and tart lemon juice, that we want. It’s sod’s law that the first pancake will be a disaster and should be regarded as “seasoning” the pan.
The ideal pan would be a carbon steel crêpe pan weathered black and non-stick by years of use, but failing that any non-stick frying pan, preferably flat, is what you need. Adding melted butter — or oil — to the mix is a belt-and-braces approach. It also means you won’t need much extra butter or oil as you cook the pancakes, just a trace when the pan becomes dry. Use a small ladle that holds about three tablespoons of batter. You will have to gauge the heat as you cook, reducing it slightly after the first 30 seconds or so, as it sets. Shaking the pan is the best way to loosen the pancake and then it’s probably ready to flip or quickly turn with a palette knife.
Makes at least 12 pancakes
Prep: 30 min plus 30 min resting
Cook: 30 min
Ingredients
150g plain flour
2 medium eggs
Pinch salt
300ml milk
50g melted butter
Extra butter or vegetable oil for frying
3 lemons
Caster sugar to serve
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Method
Sift the flour into the bowl of blender. Add eggs, salt, sugar, milk and butter. Blend smooth. If the mixture looks lumpy, pass it through a sieve — scraping underneath so nothing is wasted — then give it a final whisk. Leave to rest for 30 minutes. Give the batter a good stir just before you begin to cook and stir occasionally throughout the session. Heat a suitable non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat for a minute or so then add a knob of butter or ½ tsp oil. Quickly swirl it round the pan as it melts and add a ladleful of batter to the pan, immediately swirling and tilting the pan so the batter evens over the base. The first pancake is often a bit of a mess and is good for “seasoning” the pan, but make sure you get rid of all of it before you start the next one. You shouldn’t need to use too much extra butter or oil each time (the melted butter in the mix usually adds sufficient lubrication) but you’ll soon get a rhythm going. After a minute or so when the surface is set and throwing up little bubbles, give the pan a good shake to loosen the pancake. After a couple of minutes, when it’s crisping at the edges and golden underneath, it’s time to toss or turn with a spatula. Cook the other side as before. Good luck!