Niamh Shields burst onto the blogging scene in 2007 and has since snapped up countless accolades for her food writing by The Times, The Telegraph and The Stylist, to name a few. Niamh is passionate about cooking, and when she's not travelling the world collecting culinary tips, she's at home concocting new and interesting meals for friends and family, including her foody fledgling niece. Here, Niamh shares all her know-how for delicious and easy home-cooking.
Heart shaped pancakes for Valentine's Day
By
1 comment
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and you and especially you! We all deserve a little looking after, and even if there is no one special in your life to do that, don’t forget to indulge yourself.
I see so much woe and misery from single folk on this most commercial of days. I am single too and I say embrace it. Life is short and as sweet as you make it.
So sweeten it I did and I made myself some lovely heart shaped pancakes. I love heart shaped things, a little kitsch perhaps but aren’t they very pretty? I have heart shaped casseroles, cake tins, muffin trays, egg moulds and my prize possession is a heart shaped cast iron pancake pan that I bought in Sweden. Isn’t it fantastic?
So I dragged it out from its hidey hole to make some lovely pancakes. A practice run for shrove Tuesday next week when we all go a bit pancake crazy. These pancakes are sweet and light, with whipped egg whites to aerate them and also baking powder to give them a further lift. Some icing sugar bounces off the lemon juice that you squeeze on top.
What is not to love? Pancakes and Valentine’s Day. Have a good one, whatever you do.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180g plain flour
2 large free range eggs, split into yolk and white
Pinch of salt
1 heaped tsp baking powder
20g icing sugar
200ml milk
Icing sugar for dusting
1 lemon
Oil or butter for frying
Method
- Whisk the egg whites until in peaks as you would for meringues. Best and quickest with an electric whisk or mixer. Leave to the side.
Sift the flour, sugar, salt and baking bowder into a bowl.- Create a well in the center and add the milk and egg yolks and mix gently until combined and with no lumps. You can do this in a mixer but do it gently.
- Gently fold in the egg whites.
- Heat your pan to make the pancakes and heat the butter and / or oil (a little of both works best as the oil prevents the butter from burning) over a medium – high heat.
- Add a ladle of the batter per pancake and let it settle. When bubbles start to appear the pancake is ready to flip. Cook for a further minute on the other side and keep warm in an oven that is at 100 deg C while you cook the rest.
- Serve with icing sugar and some lemon and eat while hot.
Enjoy!
Comments