Pancake Day
We usually manage to rustle up a pancake or two on Shrove Tuesday, but today we’ve gone for the full hit – Scotch pancakes for breakfast and pancakes after dinner as well!
Scotch pancakes are my favourite. They remind me of being small and going to visit my Aunt Ella and Uncle Harry whom I just loved to bits. Aunt Ella always made Scotch pancakes for when we visited which we ate with butter (served as curls in a special butter dish) and home made blackberry and apple jelly.
We all have moments from childhood that stand out for us more vividly than the rest, and this is one of mine. I remember the sun shining through the blinds into their living room, the dish of mint imperials on the coffee table and Scotch pancakes. We always visited on a Saturday afternoon and I never ever complained about visiting relatives (often very boring when you’re a child) if I knew we were going to see them.
So, many years later when I was all grown up and we moved to our house with the Aga and I found a Scotch pancake recipe in my Mary Berry Aga cookbook, I was delighted. I could share my favourite tea time treat with my girls!
Scotch pancakes are very easy on the Aga. I love the way that the batter rises (you used self-raising flour instead of plain flour) and the pancakes bubble so that you know they’re ready to turn over.
I love the way they are golden brown when you flip them over …
I love seeing a large pile of them on a plate – they don’t last for long so I like to see them like this while I can!
Most of all, I love to see them on my plate, smothered with butter and home made blackberry and apple jelly, because it’s important to share happy memories with your small once in a while.
Big daughter’s preference is for the more traditional type of pancake. She loves covering them with sugar and lemon juice, whilst small daughter always opts for maple syrup.
It fascinates me that they are made from the same ingredients as Scotch pancakes (albeit with plain flour this time) and yet they are so different.
Scotch pancakes are much easier to turn over too, with no risk of hitting the ceiling or dropping them into a waiting dog’s mouth!
Eating them always seems a much more formal process as well; Scotch pancakes are definitely finger food whilst we’re more inclined to use a knife and fork for these pancakes.
Whatever the differences, though, we’ve eaten a fair few pancakes today and that should keep us going for the rest of Lent!
Ha! The observant amongst you will notice that this was posted on Wednesday, not Tuesday, but we did eat our pancakes on the right day, I promise!
Another edit: I’ve been asked about the Scotch pancake recipe I use. It’s from The Aga Cookbook by Mary Berry. I don’t think the version of the book that I have is available any more but the new version is here. I hope it still has Scotch pancakes in it! Anyway, the recipe is very simple. I’ve written it in my own words so that I’m not copying directly from the book:
Scotch pancakes
4oz self-raising flour
1oz caster sugar
1 egg
¼ pint milk
Whisk together to make a batter. Drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the simmering plate (I cover mine with Bake-o-glide first) or a very hot saucepan. Turn over once the pancakes have formed bubbles and cook for another minute or so before transferring to a serving plate.
Enjoy!
Just came across your blog (via patchwork chicken) and wanted to thank you for the pancake recipe. The smaller pancakes are what we (in the middle of USA) call pancakes or hotcakes. The flatter, thinner ones are usually called crepes and can hold butter and sugar, homemade jam, or leftover stew for a dinner option. I don't make them often because the boys eat 6 – 8 of them and that makes a lot of time standing at the stove with my mothers 79 year old griddle, I noticed the "herdy" mug too. I have the coaster, not the mug but the same color. Yarn seems to unite the world.
steelwool aka Mickey
Hello, it's lovely to see you! I would never have thought of putting leftover stew in pancakes – I'm definitely a butter and jam person with these small pancakes and sugar and lemon with the bigger pancakes (crepes)! xx