PANCAKE DAY

Pancake Day is always celebrated on a Tuesday and is also known as Shrove Tuesday. Pancake Day celebrates the start of the Christian celebration of Lent where Christians give up something for 40 days to empathise with Jesus Christ when he was sent into the wilderness for 40 days and nights and tempted by the Devil.
The forty days now leads up to the celebration of Easter. 
Traditionally Christians would go to church to confession where they would confess their sins and were absolved from their sins. This was known as Shriven or Shrive. Over the years this has been shortened to Shrove, hence why Pancake Day is now known as Shrove Tuesday.

RECIPES;

BASIC PANCAKE BATTER
 
Makes about 10 pancakes

INGREDIENTS

110g plain flour

Pinch salt

2 large eggs

200ml milk

75ml water

50g butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. ift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, break the eggs into it and whisk everything together.
2. Combine the milk and water in a jug then gradually add to the batter while whisking continuously. Once all the liquid has been added, continue to whisk until the batter is smooth and creamy.
3. Melt the butter and whisk 2 tbsp into the batter. Use the rest of the butter to grease the pan as you cook.
4. Brush a 20cm frying pan with melted butter and heat until it is really hot, reduce the heat to medium and ladle about 3 tbsp of batter into the pan then immediately swirl around so the base is evenly covered.
5. Cook for about 30 seconds or until the underside begins to turn golden, flip the pancake and briefly cook the other side.
6. To keep pancakes warm whilst you cook the remaining batter, stack them between leaves of greaseproof paper on a plate set over simmering water. 

SPICED APPLE PANCAKE FILLING


INGREDIENTS

75g butter

50g caster sugar

50g brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

¾ tsp nutmeg

250ml cold water

4 Bramley apples, peeled, cored & sliced

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Melt the butter over a medium heat then stir in the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Bring to the boil until mixture begins to thicken.
2. Add the apples and cook for 4 to 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken again, gently turning the apples occasionally so they keep their shape.
3. Reduce heat and cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes until the apples are just tender.
4. Place some filling on one half of a pancake and fold over. 

RASPBERRIES AND CREAM PANCAKE FILLING


INGREDIENTS

125g fresh raspberries

1 tbsp caster sugar

100ml double cream, whipped

Icing sugar, to dust

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Press 100g raspberries through a sieve, or purée in a blender. Place in a small pan with the sugar and cook over a low heat until the sugar dissolves.
2. Spread cream and raspberry sauce onto one half of a pancake, add a few raspberries, fold and top with a raspberry or two. 
3. Dust with icing sugar, drizzle with raspberry sauce and serve. 

CHOCOLATE AND BANANA PANCAKE FILLING


INGREDIENTS 

Hazelnut chocolate spread

Banana

Cocoa powder

 

INSTRUCTIONS  

 

Smooth the chocolate spread evenly over a warm pancake and place the banana on top.

2. Roll up and sprinkle with cocoa powder, serve straightaway 

THE CREPE CAKE WITH CARAMELISED BISCUITS AND RASPBERRIES


INGREDIENTS 

MADE UP FROM 30 PANCAKES 

6 large eggs

Pinch salt

330g plain flour

600ml milk

225ml water

6 tbsp melted butter

 

BUTTER CREAM 

 

230g butter

170g Lotus Caramelised Biscuit Spread

450g icing sugar

 3tlbs of milk 

SAUCE 

375g raspberries

50g sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

 

375g raspberries

50g sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

Icing sugar to dust 

INSTRUCTIONS   

1. Crack the eggs into a blender, add the salt and begin to blend. Add a little flour and then a little milk and water. Continue alternating in this way until everything has been added then add the butter. Once thoroughly blended, allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Lightly grease a small non-stick frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Spoon in the batter mix and swirl until the base of the pan is covered. Cook for 1 to 1½ minutes or until set then carefully turn and cook the other side for about 30 seconds. Stack crêpes with greaseproof paper between them and allow to cool completely before covering and refrigerating for an hour.
3. Cream the butter and Lotus Spread together with an electric mixer. Add half the icing sugar and slowly mix in, increasing the speed as the icing sugar is incorporated. Add the rest of the icing sugar slowly and mix to a dough-like consistency. Add 2 tbsp milk and mix on high, adding a little more milk if necessary. Mix on high until light and fluffy. Reserve some of the buttercream for decorating the cake – we piped on five swirls.
4. Put a few raspberries to one side for decoration then place the remaining raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer on low for 8 to 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing out as much juice as possible with the back of a spoon. Return the strained juice to the pan and place over a low heat. Put the cornflour and a little of the juice in a cup and blend well. Slowly whisk the cornflour paste into the raspberry juice and cook over a low heat until the sauce thickens. Allow to cool completely.
5. Place a small dab of buttercream on a cake plate to hold the first crêpe steady then spread with a thin layer of buttercream. Add another crêpe and another thin layer of buttercream then repeat. Drizzle a little sauce over the third crêpe. Repeat process until all the crêpes have been used.
6. Pipe the reserved buttercream onto the top of the cake, scatter over the reserved raspberries and dust with icing sugar. Refrigerate for an hour or two to set before serving.

Tip: The Lotus Spread can be replaced with Lotus Biscuits which have been finely ground using either a mortar & pestle or a food processor and an extra tbsp of milk.

 

 

                       

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