American-Style Buttermilk Pancakes

This recipe is, I’m afraid, the last in the group of those photographed whilst I was away visiting Katherine a couple of weeks ago. While this wouldn’t usually be a problem, as many of you will know, the frugal household is without a properly functioning kitchen. However, the hob and oven are now in, as is the sink. So, it is possible that I’ll be able to cook something and photograph it in the coming days, thus bringing to a close this most turbulent period in my life, in which I’ve experienced withdrawal symptoms aplenty. Seriously, I’ve not been able to actually grip anything for the past two weeks; my palms have been simply too sweaty. The less said about my recurrent heart palpitations, the better.

This post is my 124th, but oddly enough it is the first that has been specifically geared towards breakfast. I don’t know why, but breakfast has never really enthralled me. To start my day I tend to eat a rather popular chocolate cereal, have a piece of toast with marmite and soft cheese, or simply refrain from breaking my fast at all. This is all very bad practice, but to be honest, I’m not very good in the mornings and would rather have a quick and easy breakfast than get up, cook an impressively time consuming meal and get about my day. However, this may change over the course of the next couple of months, partly because I like taking photos of my food using only the light of the sun and partly because I really should make more of an effort!

Do you like my little pancake pan? I bought it as part of my graduation present whilst visiting Katherine and haven’t looked back, despite having only used it once. It’s brilliant, in that it virtually ensures that one’s pancakes are exactly the same size every time. I’m a little pedantic about that sort of thing, so in my world it was an ideal buy. Though, it’s really much better for the American style of pancake, by which I mean thick and airy, than for the British style which is essentially a crêpe. Apologies for any offense which my pancakes may inflict to the body of my American readers, the naming is simply the observation of one potentially naïve British citizen.

American-Style Buttermilk Pancakes

Makes 12-14

Ingredients:

• 100g plain flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• A pinch of salt

• 80ml of buttermilk

• 50ml of cold water

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• Oil or butter for frying

Method:

1. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. In a separate jug, mix together the buttermilk and the water. Gradually whisk the wet mixture into the dry, before beating in the eggs one at a time until smooth.

2. Using a large, thick based frying pan, or small purpose-built pancake pan, fry off roughly 1 ½ tbsp of the mixture in a little oil or butter. If using a very large pan doing two or three of these at once may be possible. Each pancake takes roughly 1 minute on each side to turn golden brown. Keep them warm in a low oven until ready to be devoured with a little maple, or golden, syrup.

Cost: An entire batch of these pancakes should be achievable for a mere £1. Though, I suppose that one could spice them up a little by adding some dried fruit, which would make them a little more expensive to produce. Enjoy!