John's sweet and savoury pancakes
John Whaite shows us how to dress up our pancakes if we fancy something different from traditional lemon and sugar - plus he has a delicious idea for making them savoury before we move onto sweet! Try his rhubarb and mascarpone, garlic mushroom and chocolate banoffee versions to cater to everyone's tastes.
Basic pancake batter
115g plain flourPinch of salt4 large eggs225ml whole milk
Method:
To make the batter, mix together the flour and salt in a small bowl. Make a well in the centre, crack in the eggs and add a good splash of the milk. Whisk the ingredients together to form a smooth, thick batter, then slowly add the rest of the milk, whisking.
To cook, heat a little butter or sunflower oil over high heat in a good non-stick frying pan. When the melted fat starts to shimmer, reduce the heat to low/medium. Add a small ladleful of batter and cook until it starts glaze over and pin-prick bubbles form. Using a palette knife, release the pancake if it’s slightly stuck, then toss or flip it over a fry for a further 30 – 60 seconds.
Rhubarb and mascarpone
300g fresh rhubarb, sliced225g caster sugar1 ball stem ginger from a jar, finely choppedMascarpone cream cheese, to serveGranola cereal, to serve (optional)
Method
Cook the rhubarb, caster sugar and ginger down in a medium saucepan over a medium heat until the consistency of a loose jam. Place a dollop of cream cheese and rhubarb compote into each pancake. Serve with a light sprinkle of granola, if using.
Garlic mushroom
200g chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced2 garlic cloves, minced3 tbsp double creamSalt and white pepperFreshly grated parmesan cheese
Heat a little oil or butter in a frying pan over high heat and add the mushrooms. Reduce the heat to medium and cook down for a good five minutes, or until the mushrooms are softened. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then add the cream, and a little salt and pepper. Grate in the Parmesan cheese and serve in the pancakes.
Chocolate banoffee
100g unsalted butter100g dark muscovado sugar100ml double cream3 bananas, finely sliced3 tbsp chocolate spread, gently heated to soften100ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks
Method
For the sauce, in a saucepan add the butter, sugar and cream and stir over medium heat until everything melts together. Add the sliced banana, and allow to boil for a minute. Remove from the heat.
To serve, spread a pancake with chocolate spread. Add a good dollop of whipped cream and a generous helping of the caramelised banana sauce.