Get Flipping With the Perfect English Pancake Recipe (2024)

British Mains
British Food
Winter Recipes

Elaine Lemm

Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.

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Updated on 04/14/23

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 5 mins

Resting time: 15 mins

Total: 25 mins

Servings: 12 servings

241 ratings

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Shrove Tuesday, or pancake day in the UK and Ireland, is the day for eating English-style pancakes. The holiday is the equivalent of Mardi Gras, the day before Ash Wednesday, which leads to the 40-day Lenten period of food abstinence according to Catholic and some Protestant church law. A good use for the eggs, milk, and butter people used to give up on Lent, these pancakes are closer to crepes than they are to American fluffy pancakes, the main difference being the lack of a leavening agent. Thecustom of eating pancakes continues today. Even though strict adherence to certain food abstinence during Lent is rare nowadays, it's not uncommon to see British families eat many of these pancakes on pancake day.

Makingthese pancakes is quick, easy, and cheap, and because they're thinner than American pancakes, people usually eat more than one. Prepare plenty and serve with your favorite jellies, preserves, fresh fruit, powdered sugar, or the traditional way, with sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Get Flipping With the Perfect English Pancake Recipe (2)

Ingredients

For the Batter:
8 ounces all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 largeeggs (fresh)
2 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoonsbutter (melted)
For Cooking:
2 tablespoons butter (melted)

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Sieve the flour into a large baking bowl, and add the salt.
Make a well in the centerof the flour and add the eggs.
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Beat well until you obtain a smooth and lump-free mixture. It will be sticky.
Add half the milk and melted butter and beat well. Add the remaining milk and stir until you have a smooth batter. Leave the batter to rest for 15 minutes.
Lightly grease a pancake pan or frying pan with a little bit of melted butter. Heat until very hot, being careful not to burn the butter. Add a ladleful of batter and try to evenly and thinly coat the base of the pan. Cook until set and lightly golden.
With the help of a spatula flip the pancake to the other side and cook for approximately 30 seconds.
Slip the pancake from the pan onto a plate. Cover the plate with a tea cloth to keep warm. Continue cooking the pancakes until all the batter is used up.
Serve and enjoy!

Are English Pancakes and Crepes the Same?

Although the batters are very similar, some crepe batters have a pinch of sugar. The ultimate difference is that crepes are larger in size and much thinner, as true crepes are cooked on a special griddle that cooks the batter only on one side. English-style pancakes are cooked on both sides.

Traditionally, crepes are meant to be eaten with simple fillings or toppings. More and more, other decadent ingredients are becoming mainstream, both for English pancakes and crepes.

Beautiful Pancake Toppings

These pancakes are traditionally eaten sprinkled with sugar and a squeeze of lemon. However, serve as you like with one of the following suggestions:

Mixed berries and powdered sugar
Butter and fruit jam
Golden syrup and sliced almonds
Honey and whipped cream
Chocolate spread
Dulce de leche and cream
Maple syrup

How to Store and Freeze Pancakes

For leftovers, simply wrap in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat very quickly in an oiled and very hot frying pan for about 15 seconds on each side. Serve immediately.
The pancakes freeze really well: simply layer them between greaseproof paper one-by-one. Pop them into a large freezer bag, seal, and freeze. They keep well for up to 3 months. To defrost, place the bag into the refrigerator and let the pancakes thaw overnight. Reheat very quickly in an oiled and very hot frying pan for about 30 seconds on each side. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
141	Calories
7g	Fat
14g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	141
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g	9%
Saturated Fat 3g	13%
Cholesterol 82mg	27%
Sodium 342mg	15%
Total Carbohydrate 14g	5%
Dietary Fiber 1g	5%
Protein 6g
Calcium 104mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

pancakes
entree
british
mardi gras

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