American Style Pancakes

So I thought, I would try something different. For the sweet side, I decided to do American style pancakes. Much thicker and fill you up quicker than the standard Shrove Tuesday ones.

Makes about 8 Pancakes

200g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 Medium Eggs
300 ml of milk
Pinch of salt
Butter
And choice of filling/topping

1. Add the baking, self raising flour and salt to a mixing bowl.

2. Create a small well in the centre of the bowl. Crack the eggs in the centre and begin to whisk.

3. Gradually add the milk while whisking. The mixture should be slightly thicker than British pancake batter.

4. Add a bit of butter and add a ladle full of batter to the pan. You don't need to spread this round the pan, as you want a thicker pancake. Let it cook for 2 minutes and flip. Cook on the other side for 2 minutes. Serve

I came up with a few suggestions for toppings/fillings.

Maybe Maple Syrup?

Apple and Cinnamon Compote?
Take about 2/3 apples and chop them up (skins on or off). Add them to a pan with a bit of lemon and water that just covers a base of a pan. Add about 2 tbsp of caster sugar and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Leave it to cook for 15 minutes. They should soften.

 Summer Fruit compote?
Take 500g of frozen summer fruit (strawberry, raspberry, blackberries etc). Add them to a pan with just enough water to cover the base. Add 2 tbps of caster sugar. Cook for 10 minutes.

What did you have with your pancakes?

Savoury Pancakes

Shrove Tuesday! Time to flip some pancakes... or in my case will fall to the ground.

Makes roughly 10 Pancakes

150g Plain flour
250ml Milk (Add about 50ml of water)
2 Medium Eggs
Olive oil or butter
Pinch of salt

1. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add salt.

2. Create a small well in the centre of the mixing bowl. Crack the eggs into the centre of the bowl and begin to whisk.

3. Gradually add the milk/water mixture to the bowl while whisking. The mixture should be a nice smooth consistency. Leave on the side for 15 minutes

4. Add a bit of butter to a frying pan. Add a ladle full of batter to the pan. Swirl around the frying pan until covered. Cook on one side for just under a minute Using a fish slice, flip the pancake over (Or if you want to look fancy flip using the frying pan). Cook for a further 30 seconds. This can be served with a sweet filling or savoury

For the filling, I chose to have a savoury filling; brie, cranberry and bacon. Such a lovely combination of flavours.

Chocolate Chilli Con Carne

Chocolate in a main? A sweet twist to the classic Texan dish. Can be served with tortilla chips or rice.

Serves 4


1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
2 Red Chillies, de seeded and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, finely sliced
500g Minced Beef
400g Can of Chopped tomatoes
400g Can of Red Kidney Beans, drained
40-50g Dark Chocolate
300ml Beef Stock
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Chilli powder (Mild, Medium or Hot)
1 tsp Cumin
2 tbspn Tomato Purée

Cheese, grated

1. Put a large pan on the hob over a medium heat. Add oil to the pan. Add the onions and fry until softened. Continue to add the red chillies, pepper and garlic to the pan and fry for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the spices to the pan and stir well. Fry for a further minute.

3. Add the mince beef to the pan. Stir to break up the mince. Cook until browned. This should take about 5-10 minutes.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock and dark chocolate to the pan. Reduce to a low heat and allow to simmer. Add the 2 tbspn of tomato purée to the pan. Allow to cook for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally so the contents doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

5. Add the red kidney beans. And cook for a further 10 minutes to allow the beans to heat through. Taste the sauce and season if needed.

6. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top. Serve with tortilla chips or rice.

Victoria Sponge Cake

Haven't done a pudding in a while and have always been meaning to bake this. A classic which is good with a cup of tea (Tea tastes better in a china cup, as my nain has always told me).

200g Caster Sugar
200g Butter, softened
200g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs

Filling
Jam (My favourite is raspberry with the seeds in)
250ml Double Cream, whipped
Icing Sugar (To top)

1. Preheat the oven for 200c/180c fan assisted. Grease 2 cake tins with some butter.

2. Mix the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until its smooth. Then mix in each egg one at a time. Fold the flour in.

3. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and put in the oven for 20 minutes. They should be a golden brown and the sponge should spring back up when lightly pressed.

4. Take one of the sponges and put about 4 tbps of raspberry jam on. Then add the double cream on top. Then layer with the other sponge. To finish, sprinkle on the icing sugar. Serve with tea

How positively British ^_^