American pancakes with bacon and blueberries

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

A classic dish where sweet meets salty – a Where the Pancakes Are bestseller. Source crisp blueberries, good-quality streaky bacon and a pure maple syrup for these. This batter can be used immediately, but making it a day before (and keeping it in a jug or bowl in the fridge overnight) gets a little fermentation under way. You can add blueberries to the batter if you like, or serve them fresh on the side.

INGREDIENTS For the pancakes

–2eggs

– 320g self-raising flour

– 1 tsp caster sugar

– 660ml buttermilk or kefir

– 70ml melted, cooled butter or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pan

To serve

– streaky bacon rashers

– fresh blueberries

– pure maple syrup

– a little icing sugar

METHOD

Separate the eggs and whisk the egg whites in a spotlessly clean bowl until you have a firm and foamy mass. Set aside.

Combine the flour, sugar and a few pinches of salt in a large bowl. Mix the buttermilk with the egg yolks and gently stir this into the flour and sugar. Add the cooled melted butter or oil and then gently mix in the egg whites.

Add a little butter or oil to a large pan over medium (not high!) heat and allow to melt, then add a small scoop of batter for each pancake, cooking them in batches (they should be 1cm thick). Cook until the underside is golden and the top is firming up; be patient, each side will need about five minutes. This amount of batter should make 10-12 pancakes.

Meanwhile, griddle the bacon rashers to your liking and keep them warm. When the pancakes are ready, serve with the bacon, a scattering of blueberries, a drizzle of maple syrup and a dusting of icing sugar.