LACE PANCAKES

Not just for Shrove Tuesday, these pancakes are small works of art and great fun to make! It’s all done with a squeezy bottle and a hot frying pan. Makes 12

175g (6oz) plain flour 1 large egg plus 1 yolk, at room temperature 300ml (10fl oz) milk 25g (1oz) unsalted butter, melted Plastic squeezy bottle (from cook shops or online) Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Put the whole egg, yolk and a little of the milk into another bowl, or wide-necked jug, and whisk with a wire hand whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour into the well in the flour. Whisk together gently, gradually mixing in half of the remaining milk and drawing in the flour a little at a time, to make a smooth batter. Stir in the remaining milk. Cover and leave to stand for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Stir the batter gently, then pour into the plastic squeezy bottle. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and brush with a little melted butter. Tilt the squeezy bottle and drizzle the batter into the pan to create a lacy pattern like the one in the photograph, or to your own design. Cook the pancake over a mediumhigh heat for 45-60 seconds until small holes appear on the surface and the underside is lightly browned. Carefully loosen the pancake with a palette knife or fish slice, then flip it over. Cook the other side for about 30 seconds until golden. Slide the pancake out of the pan on to a warmed plate. Reheat the pan and lightly grease it again before making the next pancake in the same way. Refill the squeezy bottle as necessary.

Serve the pancakes hot, as they are made, or stack on a plate and reheat before serving – cover with foil and warm through in a 170°C/ fan 150°C/gas 3 oven for 10-15 minutes. If the pancakes are hot when you stack them they will not stick together, so there is no need to interleave them with greaseproof paper.