Pancakes, Waffles, Crêpes & French Toast E-Book

Hannah Miles

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 151

Beschreibung

There's nothing like a stack of pancakes, dripping with maple syrup and topped with crisp, smoky bacon to start a lazy weekend. But what about flavouring those pancakes with fig and ricotta and topping them with an orange syrup? While Crêpes Suzette makes a sophisticated French dessert, would you have thought to fill your crêpes with the quintessential English combination of rhubarb and custard, instead? It's a fact that whichever way you choose to serve them, simple griddled treats are the ultimate comfort food. But they are so much more than a leisurely brunch or quick dessert option; pancakes, crêpes, waffles and French toast can be endlessly reinvented for any occasion, and here are some wonderful ideas to get you started, from thick American-style Pancakes, such as Blueberry Buttermilk to classic French-style Crêpes. Waffles featured are both simple (Cinnamon) and elaborate (Salted Caramel), while French Toast is stuffed with myriad inventive fillings. Finally, explore the savoury variations; recipes for Smoked Salmon and Chive Pancakes, Ham and Cheese Crêpes and Potato Waffles with Smoky BBQ beans all feature in this gorgeous and truly mouthwatering book.

Leseprobe

PANCAKES, WAFFLES, CREPES & FRENCH TOAST

PANCAKES, WAFFLES, CREPES & FRENCH TOAST

irresistible recipes from the griddle

Hannah Miles

photography by Steve Painter

Dedication

For my dear friend Maren, with fond memories of Canadian pancakes!

Design, photography and prop styling

Steve Painter

Editor Stephanie Milner

Head of Production Patricia Harrington

Art Director Leslie Harrington

Editorial Director Julia Charles

Food Stylist Lucy McKelvie

Assistant Food Stylist Ellie Jarvis

Indexer Hilary Bird

First published in 2014

This edition published in 2020

by Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields London WC1R 4BW

and

341 East 116th Street

New York, NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

Text © Hannah Miles 2014, 2020

Design and photographs © Ryland Peters & Small 2014, 2020

Hand-stitched page backgrounds made by Bridget Rolfe

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in China

eISBN: 978-1-78879-264-6 ISBN: 978-1-78879-203-5

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

US Library of Congress

CIP data has been applied for.

Notes

• All spoon measurements are level unless otherwise specified.

• All eggs are medium (UK) or large (US), unless otherwise specified. Uncooked or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the very old, frail, young children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems.

• When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using.

• Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures. We recommend using an oven thermometer. If using a fan-assisted oven, adjust temperatures according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

contents

introduction

pancakes

crêpes

waffles

french toast

savoury dishes

index

acknowledgments

Introduction

For almost as long as I can remember I have loved making pancakes and waffles. Pancakes were one of the first things I learnt to cook and I used to make them when I came home from school with hot golden syrup sauce. There are few things nicer to serve than waffles and pancakes for a relaxed weekend breakfast or brunch party. The best thing about pancakes, waffles and French toasts are that they are great standby recipes – needing only flour, milk, eggs and a little sugar (or bread for French toast). Pancakes, waffles and French toasts are not just for breakfast, they also make great lunch or supper dishes when you are in need of a quick and tasty meal. With a little maple syrup or simply lemon and sugar, these recipes can make a delicious treat in absolutely no time at all.

PANCAKES AND CRÊPES

Pancakes are served all around the world and have been documented in recipe books for centuries. There are two main types of pancake – crêpes, which are traditional French pancakes, made with a runny batter spread out very thinly in a pan or on a griddle, and American pancakes (or griddle cakes), which are made with a thick batter that includes raising agents so the resulting pancakes are light and fluffy. Both types are delicious and whatever your pancake preference, there is a recipe for you in the chapters of this book.

Crêpes can be rolled up around fillings (both sweet and savoury), such as the apple or tropical crêpes on pages 49 and 50 or the savoury varieties, stuffed with creamy chicken or spinach and ricotta, on pages 122 and 125. When it comes to American pancakes, not only are these thick pancakes delicious with lashings of sauce poured over, they can also have fillings within them, such as the blackberry pancakes on page 17, which contain a cream cheese and berry filling that is hidden until you cut into the pancake, or the Baklava version on page 29 filled with honey and nuts.

Traditionally, pancakes and crêpes should be tossed in the pan to turn them over once the underside is cooked. In Olney, a market town near to where I live, there has been a pancake race on Shrove Tuesday since 1445 – in memory of a woman who was late for Church and ran there with a pancake pan in her hand, tossing it all the way. It is a great spectacle to watch, followed by a delicious pancake lunch. If you are not brave enough to toss your pancakes at home, simply flip them over with a spatula instead. It won’t make any difference to the taste!

Crêpes and pancakes can both be made in a large frying pan/skillet, although to make the perfect crêpe you really need a crêpe pan or a crêpe machine, which is similar to a hot plate. If you want to make crêpes regularly, it is really worth investing in a crêpe machine (they are not very expensive) as they make perfectly thin, lace-like crêpes, just like you would buy in a French market.

WAFFLES

Waffles are made with a thick batter, lightened with whisked egg whites. You need a waffle iron to make them. There are two main types of waffle iron – electric or stove-top – and both come in a wide variety of patterns: rectangular; circular; heart-shaped; or even waffle fingers. I find that electric waffle irons have better temperature control than stove-top waffle pans.

The thing I like most about waffles is that the little holes are great to hold fillings and syrups. Waffle batter can be flavoured with almost anything, transforming a simple batter into something very special. My personal favourites are the apricot and white chocolate waffles on page 66, or the S’mores waffles – chocolate waffles sandwiched together with toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate – on page 73. Both recipes are extremely indulgent but utterly delicious!

Waffles really need to be served straight away. You can stack and serve them once all the waffle batter is cooked but they can go a little soft so are best eaten when they are still crispy. Serve them one by one as soon as they are cooked for best results.

FRENCH TOAST

French toast, pain perdu, or ‘eggy bread’; no matter what you call this simple treat, it is indisputably delicious. The German’s call them arme Ritter or ‘poor knights’, as when knights fell on hard times and couldn’t afford meat, they are said to have bought stale bread and made this delicious toast instead. While French toast is most commonly just egg-coated bread fried in butter, the recipes in this book take this humble treat one step further by making pockets in each slice for filling, such as the peanut butter and jelly or white chocolate macadamia and blueberry variations on pages 102 and 110. I can’t recommend stuffed French toast enough so, if you haven’t tried it before, this is a real treat!

QUANTITIES

The quantities of ingredients in the recipes in this book are guidelines only, as how many pancakes or waffles each batch of batter will make very much depends on the size of your pan or waffle iron. If you want to make only a few waffles or pancakes, simply halve the ingredients where necessary. With the crêpe mixtures, as it is impossible to divide one egg and one egg yolk, the best thing to do is to beat the egg, remove a spoonful and discard it before adding half the quantity to the batter.

HINTS AND TIPS

• Take care not to over grease your pan. I usually add butter or oil to the pan before I start and then carefully wipe it with a paper towel to remove any excess fat. I usually find that the first pancake or waffle I cook is never as good as the later ones, probably as there is less grease in the pan when you make the later ones. It is rarely necessary to add further butter to the pan after you have first greased it.

• Make sure that you leave the batter to rest for the specified time as this allows the gluten in the flour to relax and, if using baking powder, bubbles to start forming in the batter.

• The consistency of your batter needs to be just right, so that it spreads easily when you put it into your pan to cook. If it is too thick, simply add a little more milk. Crêpe batter can sometimes be too thin and, if this is the case, the crêpes can tear when you turn them over. If this happens just add a little more sifted flour to your batter mixture and whisk in well. Finding the right batter texture is something you have to do by feel and experience.

• When it comes to turning your pancakes over make sure that you don’t turn them too quickly. The batter on the top of the pancake should be almost completely cooked before you flip.

• For best results, serve your pancakes, crêpes, waffles and French toast immediately.

pancakes

american pancakes with whipped maple butter

The classic American pancake is light and fluffy and served with lashings of maple syrup. Here, they are also served with whipped maple butter. Whipped butters are a delicious treat and can be made in many flavours. You need to serve them straight away rather than storing them in the refrigerator, otherwise the butter will set and loose its fluffy texture. Alternatively, serve these pancakes with crispy bacon in place of the maple butter, like the savoury beer and bacon pancakes on page 121 – the sweet and salty combination is delicious.

160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste

60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar

a pinch of salt

250 ml/1 cup milk

3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying

FOR THE MAPLE BUTTER

115 g/1 stick butter

60 ml/¼ cup maple syrup, plus extra to serve

60 g/½ cup icing/confectioners’ sugar, sifted

a large frying pan/skillet or griddle

Makes 12

To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste, caster/granulated sugar, salt and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.

For the maple butter, whisk together the butter, maple syrup and icing/confectioners’ sugar using an electric whisk until light and creamy. This is best made shortly before serving.

When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of the rested batter into the pan, leaving a little space between each, or if you want to make larger pancakes you can fill the pan to make one at a time. Cook until the underside of each pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Cook the remaining batter in the same way in batches until it is all used up, adding a little butter to the pan each time, if required.

Serve the pancakes in a stack with a little maple butter and a drizzle of maple syrup on top.

mini choc chip pancakes

These mini pancakes are similar to scotch pancakes. They are plain and simple but have a hidden layer of chocolate chips in the middle. You can use any chocolate chips that you like. Although you could serve these pancakes with chocolate sauce or maple syrup – I like them just on their own with a dusting of icing sugar.

160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste

2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar

a pinch of salt

250 ml/1 cup milk

3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying

100g/⅔ cup chocolate chips (white, milk/semi-sweet, dark/bittersweet, or a mixture of all) icing/confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

a large frying pan/skillet or griddle

Makes 12

To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, caster/granulated sugar, vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste, salt and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.

When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle small amounts of batter into the pan, leaving a little space between each, and sprinkle a few chocolate chips in the centre of each pancake. Carefully spoon over a little more batter to cover the chocolate chips. Cook until the underside of each pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown.

Cook the remaining batter in the same way in batches until it is all used up, adding a little butter to the pan each time, if required.

Dust with icing/confectioners’ sugar and serve warm or cold.

granola pancakes with salty honey sauce

These are one of my favourite breakfast pancakes. They have a crunchy, oaty top and are served with a delicious, buttery, honey sauce. You can also add raisins, sultanas, dried berries and cherries to the batter for an extra fruity tang.

160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg, separated

1 tablespoon orange blossom honey

a pinch of salt

250 ml/1 cup milk

3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying

120–150 g/1½ cups granola

FOR THE SAUCE

60 g/4 tablespoons butter

3½ tablespoons clear honey

½ teaspoon salt

120 ml/½ cup double/heavy cream

a large frying pan/skillet or griddle

Makes 6

To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, honey, salt and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.

For the sauce, heat the butter and honey in a small saucepan or pot until the butter has melted. Then add the salt and whisk in the cream over the heat. Keep the pan on the heat but turn it down to low to keep the sauce warm until you are ready to serve.

When you are ready to serve, remove your batter mixture from the refrigerator and stir once. Put a little butter in a large frying pan/skillet set over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and coat the base of the pan, then ladle the batter into the pan and sprinkle a little granola on top of the pancake. Cook until the underside of the pancake is golden brown and a few bubbles start to appear on the top – this will take about 2–3 minutes. Turn the pancake over using a spatula and cook on the other side until golden brown. Keep the pancake warm while you cook the remaining batter, adding a little more butter to the pan each time if necessary.

Serve the pancakes with the warm honey sauce poured over the top.

blackberry cream cheese pancakes

These pancakes have a hidden pocket of blackberry and cream cheese filling, a yummy surprise when you cut into them! Served with a tangy blackberry sauce and whipped cream, they are an indulgent pancake dessert.

160 g/1¼ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg, separated

2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar

a pinch of salt

250 ml/1 cup milk

3 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for frying

FOR THE SAUCE AND FILLING

300 g/2¼ cups blackberries

120 ml/½ cup water

100 g/½ cup caster/granulated sugar

100 g/½ cup cream cheese

250 ml/1 cup double/heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks, to serve

a large frying pan/skillet or griddle

Makes 6

Begin by making the blackberry sauce and filling. Place the blackberries in a saucepan or pot with the water and sugar together over a medium heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes until the fruit is soft and the liquid is syrupy. Leave to cool.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of the cooled blackberries (fruit and syrup) to make the filling.

To make the pancake batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, caster/granulated sugar, salt and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the melted butter and whisk again. The batter should have a smooth, dropping consistency.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Gently fold the whisked egg white into the batter mixture using a spatula. Cover and put in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.