The Perfect Pancakes

Almost everyday when I ask my four year old what she would like for breakfast, I am greeted with a resounding cry for 'PANCAKES!'.

Before I met my partner I had never really made pancakes.  Very occassionally as a child my mum would make a batch to be served with lemon juice and sugar.  I recall them being rather rubbery, and altogether too lemony for my young tastebuds. 

Early in our relationship my partner made pancakes, and they were delicious!  Thin crepe style pancakes with a variety of toppings.  I couldn't believe how easy they were to make; 1 cup milk, one cup plain flour, 1 egg.  Mix.  Butter in hot pan, pour, flip, eat!

I have since taken over as chief pancake maker at our place.  This is probably due to the fact that I am the 'stay at home mum', (even though I run my own business from home, and work most days on that).  I also wrangle the children and think about food!

Early on, I would stick religiously to the recipe.  I am not flash at cakes (I am too much of a 'chuck it all in' kind of cook), and really didn't want to be transported back to those rubbery pancake days...  But, as my skill improved, I began experimenting a bit.  We had French friends who swore that a good slug of soda water (or beer), made the best pancakes.  Some recipes call for a pinch of salt.  The variations are endless.

Well, I have come up with a variation of my own that my kids (and my partner and I) think is pretty delicious.  My daughter calls them 'Pluffy Pancakes' and would eat them for every meal if permitted.

Pluffy Pancakes:

1 free range egg

1 cup of milk

1 1/2 cups self raising flour (wholemeal or white - white will produce a fluffier result)

3/4 cup of ricotta cheese

50 mls of soda water

Butter for cooking

I really cheat at put all the ingredients in my blender.  Some cooks swear that you shouldn't over mix the ingredients, but I have found it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Once it is all mixed up check the consistency of the batter.  It should be thickish, but easy to pour.  I will add more milk or flour until I have the right consistency.  *Note:  this batter will thicken over time, so you may need to continue to adjust the consistency as you cook.

 Heat a pan on the stove and add a small amount of butter.  

 
When butter is melted pour in some batter.  You can do one large pancake, or three or four small ones in a batch.  I suggest that you wait until small air bubbles form in the top of the mixture before flipping.  You will find that the pancakes do not stick and are ready to turn if you do this.

Serve warm with fresh fruit, maple syprup, lemon and sugar, or any topping that you like!