Pancake shape and content can very worldwide. In Australia and New Zealand, they are made with self-raising flour and commonly known as pikelets. They are small rounds traditionally served with jam or whipped cream, or just butter, at afternoon tea, but can also be served at morning tea. In North America, baking powder is mostly used, creating a thick fluffy pancake, usually served at breakfast with honey. In France, a crêpe is a thin Breton pancake cooked on one or both sides in a special crepe maker. In Norway and Sweden, pancakes are similar to crêpes. In some Nordic countries, they are served with jam or fruit, often with sour cream and cranberry or strawberry jam as a dessert or with a variety of savoury fillings. Waffles are similar but usually has added sugar and spices and are cooked in a special waffle iron. In Norway, there are also pancakes made from potatoes.

crêpes Suzette

This dish was named in honour of French actress Suzanne Reichenberg (1853–1924), who worked professionally under the name Suzette. In 1897, Reichenberg appeared at the Comédie-Française in the role of a maid, during which she served crêpes on stage.

Ingredients:
2-egg pancake batter (see above)
1 dsp orange liqueur, eg Cointreau
500ml milk
Orange butter:
6-8 sugar lumps
2 oranges
1 tblsp orange liqueur

Utensils: Bowl; food processor; whisk; ladle; shallow non-stick frying pan.
​Time: 30 minutes

Preparation:

1. Make the batter, adding the orange liqueur at the same time as the eggs and butter and another 55g flour to make up for the extra liquid.
2. Prepare orange butter: Rub each sugar lump over orange zest to let the oil soak into the sugar lumps until oranges look quite “bald”. Work the sugar lumps in the food processor with butter and orange liqueur.
3. Fry pancakes as thinly as possible, calculating two pancakes per person. Keep wrapped in tea towel until needed. Spread each pancake with orange butter and fold in triangles and arrange them overlapping on an oval ovenproof dish in a warm oven on 100°C while serving dinner.
4. Just before serving, have pancakes ready. Warm Cointreau in saucepan and pour over pancakes. Set alight and serve while still flaming. If you have a chafing dish, set alight at the table.

PIKELETS

Preparation:

1. Sift flour and sugars together into a mixing bowl with a pinch of salt.
2. Whisk egg into milk in the measuring cup and add to the dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.
3. Heat frypan over medium heat and brush with a little melted butter. Drop tablespoons of the batter into the pan and cook for half a minute or until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn the pikelets and cook other side for one minute until golden.
4. Serve with honey, jam of choice or ice cream.

BACON PANCAKES

Ingredients:
325ml plain flour
1 tsp salt
500ml milk
4 eggs
250g lightly smoked bacon
Butter for frying
2 tblsp snipped chives

Utensils: 1.5L measuring jug; sifter; mixing bowl; whisk; stirring spoon; cutting board; chef’s knife; non-stick frypan; tea towel.
​Time: Preparation − 40 mins; cooking − 20 minutes

Preparation:

1. Sift flour and salt into a bowl, add half the milk and whisk until smooth. Add eggs to the rest of the milk and whisk for a couple of minutes.
2. Then stir the liquid into the flour a little at the time while stirring vigorously until smooth. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.
3. Cut the bacon in 2cm strips and add to the frypan. Fry the bacon strips unit they are brown and crisp. After the batter has rested stir in the bacon and the fat.
4. Fill a ladle with the pancake and bacon batter and add to the hot fry pan, using the back of the ladle to spread the pancake mix thinly. Fry the pancake for a couple of minutes until firm and brown on the underside then turn with a spatula and cook on the other side, adding butter if needed.
5. Keep finished pancakes warm on a plate, covered with a tea towel, until all batter is used. Serve with snipped chives or shallots scattered on top.

potato pancakes

Preparation:

1. Peel potatoes and put to boil in a pot for about 20 minutes. When cooked, drain out water and mash with fork or potato masher. Add salt and butter.
2. Mix in salt, butter and sour cream. Place the potato dough in the refrigerator, covered, to chill overnight.
3. Cut the flour into dough while it is cold and kneed it vigorously until it is smooth and pliable.
4. Divide dough into 16 to 20 balls. Flour the kitchen bench and rolling pin and roll flatten each ball into rounds. Lift the rounds on to the griddle and cook on each side until brown spots appear.
5. Stack the finished potatocakes on a plate lined with a damp tea towel and cover with another damp tea towel until all the dough has been used.

waffles

CHERRY CLAFOUTIS

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Brush pie dish with the melted butter. If using fresh cherries, pit them and cut in half or drain can of pitted cherries. Spread over the base of the pie dish.
3. Combine almond meal and sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Whisk together the cream and eggs in the jug. Stir the liquid into the almond mixture gradually until it is all combined.
4. Pour the batter over the cherries in the dish. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until just set. set aside to cool.
5. Make Chantilly cream by whipping cream until it thickens, add vanilla essence and sugar and sugar until peaks form.
6. Serve clafoutis warm or cold, dusted with icing sugar and chantilly cream on the side, if desired.

Hot Cross bun pudding

MORE RECIPES from the road:

• Greek Fare
• Spanish Tapas
• Ways with Eggs
• Christmas Bites
• Tasty Soups
• Festive Every Day Starters