Scotch Pancakes or Drop Scones

Last Tuesday was Pancake Day otherwise known as Shrove Tuesday when we are supposed to eat pancakes in preparation for the Lent fast. Whether you observe such traditions or not, any excuse to eat pancakes of any variety is always welcome.

I learned to make pancakes from my grandmother and my Mum - scotch pancakes and potato scones always seemed to be made at the same time and leftovers fried up for breakfast with egg and bacon. There is something really delicious about the sweetness of the pancake with the saltiness of the bacon.

After making pancakes this year, I received a request for the recipe so here it is. My grandmother worked in spoonsful, pinches and handsful - some of her recipes don't even have that amount of detail but I have worked out the recipe in grams for the modern cook. She used a griddle on the stove but I recently acquired a fantastic crepe pan with non stick surface and thermostatic control from Lidl which takes the guess work out of getting the temperature just right.

Makes about 25 Pancakes

250g plain flour
40g caster sugar
1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 heaped teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch of salt

20g melted butter
30g (a dessertspoon) of golden syrup
I large egg
300 ml milk

Sieve the dry ingredients into a bowl. Whisk the egg and milk together in a jug and add the butter and golden syrup. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the liquid gradually, stirring in the flour until you have a thick batter.

Heat a griddle, thick bottomed or electric frying pan, or an electric crepe maker. Oil the surface lightly and drop spoonsful from the point of the spoon onto the hot surface.

Do a test pancake first to check the temperature. If it is correct, the pancakes should cook in about one and a half minutes per side. The pancake is ready for turning when the bubbles rise to the surface and start to burst. Flip it over and cook the second side for the same time.

Cool the pancakes on a cooling tray with a clean tea towel above and below.

Serve with butter and homemade jam, golden syrup, honey or whatever you like. Enjoy.

Rhubarb & Cinnamon Cake

Gone are the days when I spent hours during the summer months slaving over a hot oven to fulfill cake and pudding orders for my visitors.  However, there is still always cake of some sort to welcome you on arrival.  This one has proved popular and I have had several requests for the recipe.  The version pictured is apple and rhubarb because, thanks to John and Zoe, I have lots of apples to use.

This can be made with any fruit you like - it is especially good with plums.  The rhubarb version is the one I make most because rhubarb grows well in my garden and people who claim they are not too keen on rhubarb, think that this is pretty good.  You could try cherries, peaches, gooseberries or pears too.

Base

2.5 ounces of Soft Margarine or butter

4 ounces of white or wholemeal self raising flour

1 ounce of white or brown sugar

0.5 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 large egg

Topping

Enough fruit to cover the base generously

Crumble

3 ounces of sugar 

1 ounce of flour

0.5 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 ounce soft margarine or butter

Method

Put all the base ingredients in a food processor and whizz to make a soft dough.  If you don't have a food processor you'll have to do it the hard way.

Grease and Line 7" square tin or dish (I don't bother to line a ceramic dish).

Put the base dough in the tin and top with fruit, peeled, chopped, sliced or stoned depending on what you are using.

Put the crumble ingredients in the food processor (don't bother to wash the blade or bowl after making the base - the ingredients are more or less the same) and pulse until it looks like crumble.  Sprinkle over fruit.

Bake in oven Gas 4, 180C (conventional oven - adjust for fan oven) for about 50 minutes.

Double up the ingredients.  Use a 9" baking dish or tin and cook for an hour.  It freezes well.

Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  Eat and enjoy