Pancake Day

In the UK the Tuesday before Lent is known as Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday). On that day it is traditional to eat pancakes, toss pancakes and take part in pancake races.
The origins of eating pancakes arose from Christians who observe Lent and wanted to use up all the rich foods in their cupboards before it. During Lent eggs, sugar and butter were not allowed so these ingreadients were used to make pancakes.
Today everyone celebrates Pancake Day regardless of religion.
An English pancake is a thin, flat cake, made of batter and fried in a frying pan.
A traditional English pancake is very thin and is served immediately from the frying pan.
Caster sugar (superfine sugar) is sprinkled over the top and a dash of fresh lemon juice added. The pancake is then rolled. Some people put golden syrup or jam on their pancakes.

PANCAKE RECIPE

Ingredients
For the pancake mixture:
220g/8oz plain flour

pinch of salt

2 eggs

1 pint of milk

50g/2oz butter
Makes about 8 pancakes

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it.
2. Whisk the eggs making sure any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl are mixed in with the egg. Gradually add small quantities of the milk, still whisking. Continue whisking until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream.
3. Melt the 50g/2oz of butter in a non-stick frying pan.
4. Spoon 2 tbsp of the melted butter into the batter and whisk it in.
5. Let the pancake mix stand for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
6. Pour any left over butter into a dish. This will be used later to grease the frying pan after each pancake has been made.
7. Make sure the non-stick frying pan is really hot before adding about 2 tbsp of the batter mixture.
8. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip the pan around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter.
9. Carefully lift the edge of the cooked pancake with a palette knife to see if it's tinged gold as it should be.
10. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife to cook the other side. Slide it out of the pan onto a plate. Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate.

To serve
Traditionally pancakes are sprinkled with caster sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice.