Unlock a Wickes Kitchen
Perfect pancakes
Ingredients: Crêpes (makes 10)
- Vegetable oil
- 100g plain flour (sieved)
- 1 tbsp golden unrefined caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 medium/large eggs
- 200ml whole or semi-skimmed milk
- 75ml water
Put the milk, water, eggs, salt and sugar into the blender first, then add the sieved flour. Blend on a low speed until you get the consistency of single cream. If it's too thick add a little more milk and blend again (keep in the fridge until ready to use).
Set your non-stick frying pan to a medium heat and let it warm up for five minutes.
Brush with a small amount of vegetable oil and let it heat up for 30 seconds.
Pour the thin batter onto the pan swirling it around to the edges of the pan.
Let the batter set and leave it for a minute or two.
When the edges start to curl up, carefully use a very flat spatula to see if the crêpe has released from the pan.
If it has released, flip the crêpe. If it hasn't released, leave it for another minute or so and then flip once released.
TIP 1: Your pan will usually be set somewhere between medium and medium-high, but make sure the pan isn't too hot, or you will not have time to swirl the batter to the edges of the pan before it sets. If this does happen, simply turn the heat down a small amount until you find the right working temperature for the pan.
TIP 2: Set a medium-sized saucepan with 3in of water in it onto a low heat. Place a medium-sized ceramic plate on top of the saucepan and stack your crêpes on the plate as you cook them. This way you can keep them warm until you are ready to serve them all at the same time.
Ingredients: American pancakes (makes 12)
- Vegetable oil
- 30g unsalted melted butter
- 150g plain flour (sieved)
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp golden unrefined caster sugar
- 150ml whole or semi-skimmed milk
- 1 large egg
- 100g blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Carefully melt the butter in a microwave or small pan.
Put the milk, egg, salt and sugar in the blender first, followed by the sieved flour and baking powder. Blend together on a low speed until you have a smooth, thick batter, then add the melted butter. You may need to stop briefly to push the flour down into the batter and blend again. This batter should be used straight away.
Set your non-stick frying pan to a medium heat and let it warm up for five minutes.
Slowly pour the batter into the pan, allowing it to spread out into a circle the size you want. Allow room for the pancakes to spread out into circles without touching each other.
When the pancake has settled into its round shape, drop a few blueberries in and gently push them down into the batter.
Cook until small bubbles appear on the top surface of the pancake. Check with your spatula that they have released from the pan, then carefully flip them over and cook until golden on the other side.
TIP 1: Your pan will usually be set somewhere between medium and medium-high, but make sure the pan isn't too hot, or the batter will not have time to spread into a nice round shape before it sets. If this does happen, simply turn the heat down a small amount until you find the right working temperature for the pan.
TIP 2: You can set your oven to a low heat (30ºC-50ºC) to keep the pancakes warm if you want to serve them all at the same time.
Ingredients: Toppings
- Maple syrup
- Agave syrup
- Honey
- Lemon juice
- Chocolate hazelnut spread
- Melted chocolate for drizzling