Have a Flipping Good Pancake Day!

Today is Pancake Day! Every year it always seems to crêpe up on me (mwahaha), and I’ve forgotten to get anything that I need to make them. I used to always buy a bag of the mix, but I realised last year that you really don’t need a ready made mix at all, and they are so easy to make (but not necessarily get right) and we’ve usually got the main ingredients in already.

Apparently though, one in five Brits don’t actually know how to make pancakes from scratch. Despite this, 92% of Brits agree that homemade pancakes taste better than store-bought one’s, according to research* from Lyle’s Golden Syrup.

I know how to make pancakes, and often make smaller, fatter (American style) ones at any time of year. But every year on Pancake Day it usually takes me quite a few attempts until they are actually flippable, and edible (think burnt pans and stuck on pancake mix).

Lyle’s Golden Syrup has come to the rescue with some easy to follow top tips and delicious recipes for mastering the perfect pancake – it’s not as flippin’ hard as you think!

Lyle’s Golden Syrup Top Tips for the Perfect Pancakes

1. Follow a recipe – first things first, mastering the perfect pancake requires precision. Don’t try and be a maverick – it might seem obvious, but make sure you follow a recipe to perfect the proportions of ingredients and ensure your pancake flips, not flops. You can visit LylesGoldenSyrup.com for a selection of mouth-watering pancake recipes.

2. Perfect your batter with the right utensils – raid the drawers for a large whisk or beg, borrow and steal from a neighbour. A large whisk will ensure the right amount of air is whipped into your pancakes so they’re deliciously fluffy, not chewy.

3. Invest in a good pan – using a good quality non-stick pan is key to flipping with ease and achieving the pancake praise you’re after. Make sure it’s also a wide heavy-bottomed pan—if your pan is too thin, your pancakes will burn and will only be good or the bin.

4. Don’t flip until your pancakes are holey-y – most of us look out for bubbles as a flipping cue, but this is only half the story. Get ready to flip when the bubbles pop and then form holes that remain open on the surface. If the holes fill up with batter again, they’re not quite ripe! And remember, flip once and only once to avoid a tough pancake!

5. Get creative with your toppings – now for the fun part where you can really get your creative toppings flowing. Anything squirty and squeezey always goes down a treat, but it’s all about personal preference. Whether you’re a stacker or a roller, a sweet tooth or a savoury person, let your imagination go wild.

I’m definitely going to follow these tips when I make pancakes this evening, and hopefully they’ll be perfect from the very first one! I had no idea that you’re only supposed to flip your pancakes once!

Are you having pancakes tonight? I’ve always loved mine with just the juice of some orange (a nice healthy option), but last year I discovered chopped up bananas and a drizzle (or massive pour!) of syrup and there was no going back! I bloody love pancakes, so I can’t wait! How do you like yours?

 *All data set out is based on a poll that Lyle’s Golden Syrup commissioned with One Poll, surveying 2,000 British male and female adults in January 2016.