In a previous blog post I promised to tell you all about one of my favourite UK festivals which takes place in February – Pancake Day! In this article I will show you how to celebrate Pancake Day in the UK, and also a top rated pancake recipe you can make to impress others!
What is Pancake Day?
Pancake Day is celebrated throughout the UK and takes place the last day before Lent, a Christian festival leading up to Easter. Lent lasts for 40 weekdays and during this time many people give up (stop eating) certain types of food, including butter and eggs. Pancakes (which have butter and eggs in!) are eaten on the day before Lent starts because it is the last chance for people to indulge themselves and use up food they cannot eat!
I know what you’re thinking – ‘Pancake Day’ doesn’t really sound like the name of a religious festival. Actually, the official name is Shrove Tuesday. ‘Shrove’ comes from an old English word, ‘shrive’ which means ‘to confess’. In the Middle Ages, many people would confess their sins on Shrove Tuesday because they wanted to be forgiven before Lent began.
Types of Pancakes
There are 2 different types of pancake – Scotch pancakes which are very popular in America and Shrove pancakes which are popular in the UK and are usually eaten on Pancake Day.
If you want to eat a pancake on Pancake Day (something I will definitely be doing!), there are many restaurants and creperies you can go to. There is actually a very good pancake restaurant in London called My Old Dutch.
A very fun thing to do or see on Shrove Tuesday in London is the Great Spitalfields Pancake Race. Teams of 4 people dress up in wacky costumes and run up and down Dray Walk (off Brick Lane) while flipping pancakes to raise money for charity! You can get a team together and compete or it’s just as fun to go and watch (and laugh at) other people! The races start at 12.30pm, with the finals later on – there are prizes for the winners and the best dressed team.
If you are trying to save money (something I am also trying to do!), you can make pancakes yourself. Invite a few friends and below you will see a very easy recipe to make Shrove pancakes which will impress all your friends – trust me, I can’t cook anything but I can make these!
The Best Pancake Recipe
You will need a flat bottomed frying pan, a sieve, a mixing bowl and a big spoon or whisk.
Ingredients (this will make approximately 8 pancakes):
- 100g plain flour
- 250ml milk
- 1 egg
- Pinch of salt
- 50g butter for the frying pan
Making the batter:
- Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
- Crack the egg into the centre of the mixture and begin mixing.
- Continue to mix and gradually add about a quarter of the milk.
- Mix until you see bubbles in the mixture.
- Pour in the remaining milk slowly while you continue to mix.
Making the pancakes:
- Heat the frying pan and place a small piece of butter in the middle. Wait until it melts and spreads all over the pan.
- Pour in a small amount of batter using a jug or ladle; enough to thinly cover the bottom of the pan (move the pan around to help the batter spread evenly).
- Cook for a couple of minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
- Turn the pancake over with a spatula (or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can try to flip the pancake just using the frying pan!)
- Cook the other side until golden brown.
Now you can put on any topping you want – you can try maple syrup, lemon and sugar, strawberries, chocolate sauce or my personal favourite, banana and chocolate!
And the best part – time to eat!
If you make any pancakes and have any recommendations, please let me know below. You might also like to check out my list of the best easy to make egg recipes or my tips how to make the best banana chia seed pancakes.
