Why not make a batch of English Pikelets for Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) this year?
Pikelets are a cross between a drop scone, scotch pancake and a griddle cake or crumpet. Unlike drop scones (scotch pancakes) they are yeast enriched, which gives them the holes that appear on the surface, similar to crumpets. However, they are much thinner than crumpets and don’t need to be cooked in a crumpet ring.
We love them served hot from the griddle (or skillet) with lashings of butter and homemade jam. Maple syrup, lemon curd and honey are also delicious when doused over these little yeast raised pancakes.
I served these on Burleigh Blossom and Blue Calico for a beautiful table setting. Don’t forget to add some spring flowers too.
This mixture makes about 12 pikelets.
Ingredients:
250g strong bread flour
1 teaspoon (5g) dried fast action yeast (instant)
1/2 tsp salt
350ml warm milk
Butter, for frying
Method:
1. Make the batter: Put the flour, yeast and salt into a bowl and mix well. Add the warm milk and whisk until well combined. Cover the bowl and set aside for about an hour until bubbling (it may take longer if the kitchen is cool).
2. At this stage you can leave the pancake batter for another hour or two, or cook with it straight away.
3. To cook. When you are ready to cook the pancakes, heat your bakestone (griddle) or large heavy based frying pan and add a knob of butter.
4. Beat the mixture again, adding more warm milk if it is too thick. It should be like a thick batter in consistency, and drop very slowly from a spoon - it will not be pourable.
5. Then drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the hot griddle, adjusting the heat to make sure they cook slowly so they don't burn before cooking all the way through.
6. Turn them over half way though cooking, or when they have puffed up and there are small holes appearing on the surface of them. Cook on the second side until well risen and golden brown.
7. To eat warm later, layer them in a heatproof dish, cover, and keep warm in the oven at about 120C/250F.
8. To eat immediately, as they are cooked, pile them onto a warm plate, let everyone butter them before drizzling honey or spooning jam over them.
9. Also delicious with maple syrup, golden syrup, mixed berries and bananas, maybe with a dollop of yoghurt or crème fraiche.
Recipe by @lavenderandlovage