Pancake Tuesday with Dairygold

I’m delighted to be involved with Dairygold for a a really fun Pancake Tuesday campaign.

My little boys are both incredibly involved in the kitchen (not my choice!!) and insist on sitting on the counter top ‘helping’. Pancakes are the perfect recipe to start with when getting kids used to helping in the kitchen. Simple tasks like weighing ingredients, sieving flour, cracking eggs and whisking are all key skills that they can learn this pancake Tuesday. I make pancakes with my boys most weekends and it’s incredible how they remember each step.

Helping out gives them confidence and encourages them to learn more about food, They always eat the end results!

I’ve teamed up with Dairygold to create some really delicious pancake recipes including fun ‘Pancake Portraits’ to make at home using simple ingredients such as fresh fruit, which all helps to encourage children to eat their five a day! Follow the campaign on twitter and instagram or upload your own creations using #DairygoldPancakePortraits and see the Dairygold facebook page or website for more details.

I have lots of great ideas and recipes listed below so get that crepe pan ready and have a really lovely Pancake Tuesday!

Lilly x

Toppings to make the Perfect Pancake Portrait!

It’s time to play with your food! Here are some great fun topping ideas to help you and your family create the perfect pancake portrait. From the family cat to your favourite cartoon character, create funny faces with lots of personality using the following ideas.

• Roughly grated chocolate or chocolate curls for dark hair
• Marshmallows for curly hair, noses or eyes
• Chocolate spread, maple syrup, honey and golden syrup for hair
• Strawberries and raspberries for mouths, smiles and cheeks
• Use yogurt for hair or as a base for the face
• Chocolate vermicilli  or coloured sprinkles for freckles
• Coconut shavings for teeth
• Blueberries or chocolate chips for eyes
• Slices fruit like apples, pear and mango for whiskers, eye lashes, moustaches and hair
• Cut out pancake shapes for facial feautures, make 3D noses and eyes
• Use a safety scissors to cut cooled pancakes into different shapes

Below are my favourite batter recipes. One is a thick fluffy American style pancake and the other a French thin crepe. There are endless options for toppings and fillings. Fleur de Sel Caramel sauce with chantilly cream is the most indulgent and perfect for dessert. The flavoured butters are perfect for spreading on hot freshly made pancakes or melting over hot pancakes. The cinnamon spread makes a great cooking butter too and will leave your pancakes crisp and cinnamon scented.

Light Fluffy Pancakes 

Makes 8-10 depending on size

Ingredients:

135g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

130ml milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp melted Dairygold (allowed to cool slightly) plus extra for cooking

• Sift the flour, baking powder and sugar into a large bowl.
• Whisk the milk, egg and melted Dairygold together in a jug.
• Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and, using a whisk or fork, beat until you have a smooth batter, the lumps quickly disappear. Let the batter stand for a few minutes.
• Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a little Dairygold. When it’s melted, add a ladle of batter or two, depending on how big your pan is and on what size you want your pancakes to be.
• The batter should be very thick. The pancake will be ready to turn when it bubbles appear on the surface. Flip it over to cook the other side.Keep the cooked pancakes warm in a low oven but serve as soon as possible.

Crêpes

300g plain flour

1 tsp sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

480ml milk

1 tbsp Dairygold, melted

sunflower oil

icing sugar, to dust

• Sift the flour and sugar into a bowl, then make a well in the centre.
• Whisk the eggs and milk together with 2 1/2 tablespoons water. Slowly pour into the well in the dry ingredients, whisking all the time to ensure a smooth batter. Stir in the melted Dairygold. Cover and place in the fridge to rest for 20–30 minutes.
• Heat a crêpe pan or non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and coat lightly with sunflower oil. Pour in enough batter to form a thin coat on the base of the pan. Cook for 1 minute, or until the crêpe comes away from the side of the pan. Flip over and cook until golden on the other side.
• Repeat the process with the remaining batter. Stack the crêpes on a plate with a little greaseproof paper or icing sugar between each one. Cover with tin foil.
• Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Fleur De Sel Caramel Sauce

140g (5oz) brown sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

90g (3oz) Dairygold

185ml cream

A generous pinch of good sea salt

• Put the golden syrup, cream, Dairygold and sugar into a medium saucepan over a low heat.
• Stir for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Now increase the heat and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
• This sauce keeps for weeks in a sealed container in the fridge.

Chantilly Cream

This sweet vanilla flavoured cream is perfect with thick fluffy pancakes and a drizzle of caramel sauce or raspberry conserve.

300ml Cream

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 tbsp cater sugar

Put cream, vanilla, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until soft peaks begin to form. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Berry Butter

This is perfect for spreading on hot pancakes.

110g Dairygold, softened

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp honey or agave syrup

30g berries (raspberries, strawberries or blackberries)

Whip the Dairygold and lemon juice together until light and creamy. Add the honey and mix until combined. Finally, add the berries and mix until they’re just softened and roughly mixed for a rippled effect, or mix for longer to get a smooth, even-coloured butter. Spoon into little bowls or wrap in rolls of greaseproof paper and keep in the fridge or freezer.

Bring to room temperature before using.

Whipped Honey Butter

110g Dairygold

75g honey

1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Whip the Dairygold and honey until soft and creamy. Add the vanilla and mix until just combined. Spoon into a bowl or jar and keep in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using.

Options:

Use maple syrup instead of honey and add some toasted and roughly chopped pecan nuts to this butter to make an incredible topping for pancakes and waffles.

Add 1 tsp ground cinnamon to the honey butter and use it to fry pancakes or spread on hot toast.

Orange Blossom Butter

110g Dairygold

60g honey

4 tsp orange zest

1/2 tsp orange blossom water

Whip the Dairygold and honey until soft and creamy. Add the orange zest and orange blossom water and mix until just combined. Spoon into a bowl or jar and keep in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using