Recipe Roadtest: Nigella Lawson’s American Breakfast Pancakes

I have a confession to make: I don’t really like pancakes. They’ve always seemed to me to be rather plain and not particularly appetising unless you trick them up with extra embellishments. This weekend, we experimented with Nigella Lawson’s recipe for American breakfast pancakes, which she describes as thick, spongy and perfect with maple syrup and streaky bacon. While I didn’t go so far as to have bacon with mine, I did throw in chocolate chips, banana slices, blueberries and maple syrup.

Nigella’s American Pancakes with chocolate chips, banana, blueberries and maple syrup

What you’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 large eggs (beaten)
• 30g butter (melted and cooled)
• 300ml milk
• 225g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 dash cinnamon
• chocolate chips (optional)
• butter for frying

What to do:

1. Place the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Beat in the eggs, melted butter, milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon. 

2. Heat a pan on the stove. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes before adding butter. Using a ladle, spoon desired amount of batter onto the pan. If using chocolate chips, sprinkle over the batter in the pan. 

3. Spoon another layer of batter to cover the chocolate chips. Consistent with regular pancake practice, flip the pancake when the top side is blistering and bubbling.

4. Cook for about another minute or so until the pancake has a firm but springy texture when pressed in the centre.

5. Serve with desired condiments and toppings. Enjoy! 

Despite the thickness of the double-layered pancake, it had a fluffy texture and was surprisingly light, with bursts of flavour from the melted chocolate chip centre adding textural contrast. I still wouldn’t say that I’m a pancake fan, but adding chocolate chips makes everything better!

Notes:

• If not using chocolate chips, just make the pancakes as per usual without the extra layer of batter.
• Be sure to check the underside of the pancake to ensure that it does not burn.