Waffles, Crepes and Pancakes (21 page)

115 g / 4 oz / 1 cup self-raising (self-rising) flour

115 g / 4 oz / 1 cup self-raising wholemeal (self-rising whole-wheat) flour

½ tsp prepared mustard

Pinch of freshly milled salt and black pepper

2 medium eggs

300 ml / ½ pint / 1¼ cups milk

Oil or melted butter

1.
Finely chop the spring onion (scallion) and finely grate the cheese.

2.
Sift the flours into a bowl and stir in the chopped spring onion (scallion), grated cheese, mustard, salt and pepper. Make a well in the centre and break in the eggs. With a wooden spoon, gently stir the flour mixture into the eggs, gradually adding the milk and mixing to make a thick batter.

3.
Lightly brush the crêpe maker or a non-stick frying pan with a little oil or melted butter. Preheat the crêpe maker to ‘Medium’, or put the non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.

4.
When hot, pour spoonfuls of batter onto the hot surface and cook until bubbles begin to rise to the surface and burst. Using a flat spatula or palette knife carefully turn the scones over and cook until golden brown on both sides.

5.
Keep the drop scones warm whilst further batches are cooked.

Chapatis

The dough improves if left overnight and the chapatis will be lighter. Serve with hot spicy food, chutneys and dips.

Makes 12

225 g / 8 oz / 2 cups wholemeal (whole-wheat) flour

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Extra flour for rolling

1.
Put the flour into a bowl and stir in the salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil. Using your hand, gradually mix the flour into the oil and slowly add about 150 ml / ¼ pint / ⅔ cup of water to give a firm dough.

2.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Wrap the dough in clear film (plastic wrap) and chill for an hour or overnight.

3.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 portions and shape into balls. Roll each piece to a thin round like a pancake.

4.
Preheat the crêpe maker or a non-stick frying pan to a hot heat (without any fat).

5.
Put a chapati onto the hot surface. Cook for about 1 minute on one side until the underside is golden brown and the surface is starting to bubble. Using a flat spatula or palette knife, carefully flip the chapati over and cook the second side for about 40 seconds gently pressing the edges down with the spatula.

6.
Use a clean tea towel to wrap the chapatis in as each one is cooked. Serve warm.

Parsley Potato Scones

Choose floury potatoes for best results. Serve as part of breakfast or brunch, or as an accompaniment to grilled meat or fish. I often make another version using half the quantity of potatoes mixed with the same weight of courgettes (zucchini), grated, cooked and then pressed dry.

Makes about 8–10

175 g / 6 oz cooked potato

2 tsp chopped parsley

Pinch of cayenne pepper

¼ tsp fine sea salt

2 tbsp softened butter

55 g / 2 oz / ½ cup self raising (self rising) flour, plus extra for rolling

Oil or melted butter

1.
Put the potato into a bowl and finely mash.

2.
Add the chopped parsley, cayenne pepper, sea salt and softened butter.

3.
Mix in enough of the flour to give a stiff dough.

4.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Roll out to a thickness of about 1 cm / ½ inch. Cut out rounds with a 6 cm / 2½ inch floured cutter. Re-roll the trimmings.

5.
Lightly brush the crêpe maker or a non-stick frying pan with a little oil or melted butter. Preheat the crêpe maker to ‘Medium’, or put the non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.

6.
Cook the scones for 3–5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.

Flatbreads

These yeasted flatbreads look rather like nan breads. Make a batch and freeze the excess. Reheat in a hot oven and, when hot, brush with garlic or chilli oil. Add flavourings into the bread mix – 1 tsp dried mixed herbs or oregano, 1 tsp garlic or chilli paste.

Makes about 18–20, depending on the packet size

1 pizza mix or white bread mix

Flour, for kneading

Oil or melted butter

1.
Make up the pizza or bread dough following the packet instructions. Put into a bowl and cover with oiled clear film (plastic wrap). Leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

2.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

3.
Tear off pieces of dough about the size of a plum and roll each one quite thinly into ovals, teardrops or rounds. For larger flat breads, use pieces of dough about the size of a small satsuma.

4.
Cover the dough shapes with oiled clear film (plastic wrap) and leave to rise for 10 minutes.

5.
Lightly brush the crêpe maker or a non-stick frying pan with a little oil or melted butter. Preheat the crêpe maker to ‘Medium’, or put the non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.

6.
Put the dough shapes onto the hot surface. Cook for about 1–3 minutes on each side until slightly blistered and just starting to brown.

7.
Use a clean tea towel to wrap the flatbreads in as each one is cooked. Serve warm.

Mini Pancake Shapes

Great fun for everyone. Pour the batter from a jug or a water bottle, something to give you a little more control over the ‘pour’ – there are even ‘pancake pourers’ available in some kitchen shops. Serve with savoury dips or, while hot, sprinkle with caster sugar and serve with maple syrup or fresh fruit.

Makes plenty so freeze any excess

55 g / 2 oz / ½ cup plain (all-purpose) flour

55 g / 2 oz / ½ cup wholemeal (whole-wheat) flour

Pinch of salt

2 medium eggs

2 tbsp melted butter

300 ml / ½ pint / 1¼ cups milk

Oil or melted butter

1.
Sift the flours into a bowl and add the salt. Make a well in the centre, break in the eggs and pour in the melted butter. With a whisk, gently stir the flour into the eggs, gradually adding the milk to make a smooth batter the consistency of single (light) cream. If time allows, cover and leave to stand for about 15 minutes.

2.
Pour the batter into a jug.

3.
Lightly brush the crêpe maker or a non-stick frying pan with a little oil or melted butter. Preheat the crêpe maker to ‘Medium’, or put the non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.

4.
When hot, pour or drizzle small amounts of the batter to make small shapes, such as: alphabet letters, numbers, squiggles, zigzags or flower shapes. Cook gently for about 15–30 seconds (depending on their size) on one side until the underside is golden brown. Using a flat spatula or palette knife, carefully flip the shapes over and cook the second side for about 10–15 seconds. Lift out and keep warm.

5.
Keep the batter-shapes warm whilst further batches are cooked.

English Muffins

English muffins are bread-like rather than cake-like. Cooked on a griddle, like bread they are then toasted. A traditional way to toast a muffin is to cut the muffin open, then close again and toast until hot all the way through. Pull open and butter the two halves.

Makes about 10–12

200 g / 7 oz / scant 1¾ cups strong white bread flour, plus extra for rolling

½ tsp salt

25 g / 1 oz / 2 tbsp soft butter

1 tsp fast-action dried yeast

1 medium egg

225 ml / 8 fl oz / about 1 cup milk

1 tsp semolina

Oil or melted butter

1.
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter until like fine crumbs. Stir in the fast-action dried yeast. Break in the egg and pour in the milk.

2.
Mix to a smooth dough. Cover the bowl with oiled clear film (plastic wrap) and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to an hour.

3.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll out to a thickness of about 1 cm / ½ inch. Cut out rounds with a
plain 7.5 cm / 3 inch floured cutter. Re-roll the trimmings.

4.
Put the shapes onto a floured tray. Mix the semolina and 1 tsp flour together and sprinkle over the muffins. Cover with a cloth. Leave in a warm place until risen, about 40 minutes.

5.
Lightly brush the crêpe maker or a non-stick frying pan with a little oil or melted butter. Preheat the crêpe maker to ‘Medium’, or put the non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.

6.
Cook some of the muffins for 3–4 minutes on each side until pale golden brown and cooked through, then cook the remaining muffins.

Orange Crumpets

To give some depth, crumpets are cooked in 8 cm / 3¼ inch round metal crumpet, pastry or biscuit (cookie) cutters. If none is available, just drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the hot surface. They will be much thinner, and more like pikelets, but just as delicious toasted and served with conserve and butter.

Makes about 10–12

175 g / 6 oz / 1½ cups strong white bread flour

¼ tsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

1¾ tsp fast-action dried yeast

100 ml / 3½ fl oz / scant ½ cup milk

Pinch of bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp grated orange rind

Oil or melted butter

1.
Pour 150 ml / ¼ pint / ⅔ cup tepid water into a jug. Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl and stir in the fast-action dried yeast. Stir in the milk and water and mix to a thick smooth batter. Cover the bowl with oiled clear film (plastic wrap) and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

2.
Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in a tablespoon of water and stir with the grated orange rind into the batter. Cover and leave to rise for 15–20 minutes.

3.
Lightly brush the crêpe maker or a non-stick frying pan with a little oil or melted butter. Preheat the crêpe maker to ‘Medium’, or put the non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.