Breakfast with loved ones has featured heavily in my life, and one of my all time favourites is golden-coloured, perfect light and fluffy pancakes. As a child, they were one of the first things I learned how to make. As I grew up, I would cook them for friends who stayed over. I even taught them once in an after school class when I was 11, when the teacher’s recipe wasn’t working properly.

For me, and most people I think, getting your pancakes just right is the ultimate pursuit. They should be light and airy, fluffy like a cloud. They must be tender, but also chewy, and of course able to soak up any syrup toppings. Of course, when we start talking about pancakes, it would probably help to clarify which type of pancake.

This week I’m talking about Australian/American/Canadian pancakes; thick and stacked high. Not the European/French/English style that is super thin, and wrapped around toppings. For this recipe I’ll be showing you how to make the new world-style version, not the crepe-style, that I’ll save for another day.

Light and Fluffy, how so?

So how do you get fluffy pancakes? It’s by using a leavening agent; baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, or even sourdough or yeast. This recipe uses baking powder and bicarb. In fact, when you buy Self Raising Flour, that’s exactly what you’re getting; all purpose flour with a pre-determined amount of baking powder mixed in.

But, I like to have more control, and I don’t like that SR Flour can loose it’s oomph if you don’t use it very often. Instead, I use all purpose and add the baking powder myself. In this recipe you don’t want a massive amount of lift, just enough to puff those pancakes up and fill them with tiny bubbles.

Another decision is how big to make your pancakes. This recipe is meant to make 12 pancakes that are approx. 10-12cm/3″ in diameter, or also known as ‘dollar’ pancakes. But, if you like to turn these pancakes into pikelets, you can use the same recipe. All you need to do is pour smaller amounts of batter out. How simple is that? Now you know how to make pikelets!

If you haven’t heard of pikelets before, that’s not surprising. That’s the name we know these mini-sized pancakes by in Australia and New Zealand. But, in Scotland you might also hear them called dropped scones. Why? Because they look a little bit like a scone that hasn’t risen properly – but don’t worry, they’re much tastier!

How hard is it to make pancakes? What about equipment? That’s coming up next!

Fluffy Pancake Equipment:

You won’t need much, just these basic kitchen tools:

• Large mixing bowl or jug
• Whisk
• Heavy-based frying pan or skillet
• Measuring cups/ spoons
• Lifter

See, nothing complicated there! Likewise the ingredients are basic, and you should already have them in your pantry.

Perfect Pancake and Pikelet Ingredients:

• All purpose flour
• Sugar
• Milk
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Eggs
• Butter
• Vanilla essence or extract

So, now that you have everything you could need to make these delicious light and fluffy pancakes, let’s look at how to make pancakes, or how to make pikelets if you’d prefer.

How to make Pancakes or How to make Pikelets

Making pancakes and pikelets couldn’t be easier. Here’s my fool-proof recipe – as taught to me as a 7-yr old – and it’s stood me in good stead ever since. When it comes to eating them, I’d recommend any of the following:

• Maple or golden syrup, or honey
• Chocolate-hazelnut spread
• Jams, jellies, or conserves
• Bacon, eggs, sausage, etc
• Fresh fruit like raspberries, strawberries, bananas, apples, peaches, etc
• or pretty much anything else you can think of or enjoy!

Now, on to the recipe!

Thanks for checking out this post on how to make perfect light and fluffy pancakes. I hope you make them soon! If you do, please come back and post a comment, or share a photo with the tag: #LarderPantryandGarden.

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