• Dawn
• Friday 14 February 2020

Pancake Tuesday is nearly here! We thought you might like some of our staff's favourite helpful gadgets for a better batter to making delicious pancakes; sweet and savory...nom nom nom.

 

Whisk-y Business

Whether you like thin crepes or thick stacks of pancakes, the first step is acquiring a good urm...Kitchen Whisk (pardon the pun). A balloon whisk is best for the job, to quickly get a smooth batter without over-whisking. Depending on the size of your pancake batch we have a wide range of sizes available; whether you’re cooking for one, two, or an army of pancake-hungry people.

If you’re looking for light, fluffy pancakes, it is essential (but not the end of the world) not to overmix your batter. Stop when your ingredients are just combined – a few tiny lumps are ok! This eliminates unwanted gluten strands from forming, and the air being knocked out of the batter. Another great tip for light pancakes is to separate the eggs, and whisk the egg whites to medium peaks before gently folding them into the batter.

This clever multi-purpose batter jug from Zyliss allows you to mix and deposit your batter straight onto the pan cleanly and evenly. Perfect for making multiple, smaller pancakes to stack!

 

Ready, Spready...Go!

Ahh Crepe! Did you say you prefer wafer-thin crepe-like pancakes? Not to worry, a wooden crepe spreader is an inexpensive but brilliant tool to quickly and neatly distribute your batter across your pan – giving you lovely, even crepes, ready for toppings! To step things up a notch, this spreader from Mastrad features a silicone coated pan-friendly tip, which conveniently separates from and can be stored inside its handle when not in use! Also, make your life easier and flip your pancakes with the help of a pancake turner.

 

Poffertjes – Mini Dutch Pancakes

Feel like changing things up this year? Are pancakes and crepes falling a little flat? Time to cook up a batch of Poffertjes! Poffertjes (or baby pancakes) are a type of light fluffy mini pancake. They are traditionally made with buckwheat and yeast, but if you'd rather stick to what’s already in your cupboard there are plenty of alternative recipes available which resemble your normal pancake ingredients. Just call them Poffertj-ish.

Get your hands on a Poffertjes pan (we have some on offer right now) or simply spoon tablespoons of batter onto your pan and take it from there. Some people find an ice-cream scoop is handy for measuring out batter straight onto the pan. Serve topped with butter and powdered sugar for the traditional finish, or anything else your heart  or tummy desires!

 

Finishing Touches

Save time by sieving your icing sugar with a shaker, like this handled sugar shaker from Dexam. A handy, and neat alternative to messy sieving, for sugar, cinnamon sugar, or cocoa powder. If you’re looking for something you can store your icing sugar, cocoa powder or flour in between sifting, Kilner have a jar with a specialised sieve top which does the job perfectly.

If you like your pancakes with syrup, serve with a specialised jug for less mess – or if you prefer honey, we stock honey pots with wooden honey servers. If you’re looking for inspiration, both are delicious with toasted nuts and coconut…and maybe a scoop of ice cream on top too! A fan of the classic lemon and sugar topping? Juicing a fresh lemon with this handy Citrus Reamer from Joseph Joseph could not be easier, it catches pips and pulp all in one go!

When you’ve mastered all these types of pancakes, and beyond, maybe you want to explore the world of pancake art! Using some squeezy bottles and food colouring, it’s incredible what can be done with some skill and practice. Alternatively, as a cheat, use a pancake mould – like this fun Unicorn Breakfast Mould from Fred – perfect for cooking pancakes with kids!

All set for Pancake Tuesday? Tag us on Instagram, show us some of your lovely and yummy creations.