How to cook the most precious British pancakes⁠⁠

English pancakes are thin pancakes traditionally served with sugar and lemon juice. They differ from American pancakes in their more delicate texture and fewer ingredients. They are typically made on Shrove Tuesday, but can be enjoyed any time of year.

Classic Recipe

Ingredients:

200 g wheat flour;

1 egg;

200 ml milk;

3 tbsp olive oil;

2 tbsp cane sugar;

½ tsp salt;

¼ tsp citric acid;

1.5 teaspoons baking soda.

Instructions:

In a deep bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, citric acid, baking soda). Whisk for about 30 seconds to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Add the egg and mix with a mixer. Pour in the milk and mix again. Then add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and mix thoroughly for 2 minutes.

You should have a fairly thick batter: when you turn a spoon over it, it will fall in clumps rather than run off.

Preheat a frying pan over medium heat without oil. Spoon the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly across the bottom.

Fry until bubbles appear over the entire surface of the pancake—this is the signal to flip. This usually takes less than 30 seconds per side.

Place the finished pancakes on a plate. Serve with jam, preserves, syrup, berries, honey, or other toppings of your choice.

Tips:

Don't add baking soda or citric acid—they're not required in this recipe.

The thicker the batter, the less spread the pancake will be, meaning it will be fluffier and taller.

You can add gel or powder food coloring for colorful pancakes.

The finished pancakes can be stored in a sealed container for up to 2-3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

To reheat, you can microwave or oven (5-10 minutes at medium heat, wrapped in foil).

Other variations of this recipe exist, for example, adding melted butter or using only egg yolks. Traditionally, English pancakes are eaten with sugar and lemon juice, but you can experiment with toppings: honey, jam, berries, butter cream, etc.

That's all for now, I hope you enjoy this recipe, see you later!