Trying Out A Scotch Pancakes Recipe in Time For Shrove Tuesday

I recall that when we were at school we used to look forward to Shrove Tuesday because it was the day when we knew we would be eating pancakes which were a treat for us then. Now that I can cook very well I know that pancakes are easy enough to have on a regular basis and this year I wanted to try a new scotch pancakes recipe I had found. A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. In Britain it is made without a raising agent, and is similar to a crêpe. In America, a raising agent is used such as baking powder and the American pancake is similar to a Scotch pancake or drop scone.

Pancakes may be served at any time with a variety of toppings or fillings including jam, fruit, syrup, chocolate chips, or meat. In America, they are typically considered to be a breakfast food. In Britain they are associated with Shrove Tuesday, commonly known as Pancake Day, when perishable ingredients had to be used up before the fasting period of Lent began. A scotch pancakes recipe will include flour, eggs, sugar, buttermilk or milk, salt, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar. Smaller than American or English pancakes at about 3.5 in / 9 cm in diameter, they are made by the traditional method of dropping batter onto a griddle. They can be served with jam and cream or just with butter and in Scotland pancakes are generally served at teatime.

Another delicious tea time treat is the apple tarte tatin which is basically a pastry case and caramelised apples but the apples are at the top instead of the pastry. There is more than one simple apple tarte tatin recipe and you can experiment until you find the one you prefer. Shortcrust pastry is traditional, but many modern recipes use butter puff pastry. They will take about the same amount of time to cook, but the puff will produce a lighter, flakier base while the shortcrust will have more bite. It is all a matter of taste as to which you choose. Use caster sugar, because it melts and caramelises quickly and evenly and your pan should be clean and unweathered. It is also important to heat the oven to 190c so that both the pastry and the apples cook at the same time.

Another sweet treat which also makes use of fruit is the summer pudding which is a British dessert made of sliced white bread, layered with fruit and fruit juice. It is left to soak overnight and turned out onto a plate. Using slightly stale bread helps the fruit juices soak through the bread and typical fruits used are:

• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Blackcurrants
• Redcurrants
• Blackberries

You can adapt the summer pudding recipe in keeping with the types of fruits which are available to you at the time, although berries are the most popular fruits which are used.

Try These Treats at Home, Especially the Scotch Pancakes Recipe

Scotch pancakes are one of many Scottish cakes cooked on a flat bake stone or griddle. A pancake was a ‘cake’ cooked on a heated flat-surface; historically a bake stone and then eventually a pan. Scotch pancakes are also known as ‘drop’ or ‘dropped scones’, because soft dollops of mixture are dropped onto the cooking surface.

Simple Scotch Pancakes Recipe

120g self-raising flour
small pinch salt
30g caster sugar
1 egg
1/4 pint milk

1. First grease your griddle with oil butter and heat.
2. Sift the flour into a bowl, add salt and sugar.
3. Whisk in the egg, add to milk.
4. Pour this liquid into the dry ingredients, and mix to a smooth batter.
5. Test with a teaspoon of batter. It should cook in less than a minute.
6. For the pancakes, use a tablespoon to drop the batter onto the girdle.
7. When the surface has become covered in bubbles, flip them using a palette knife. Serve hot.

Simple Apple Tarte Tatin Recipe

The tarte tatin is an upside-down tart in which the apples are caramelized in butter and sugar before the tart is baked. There are conflicting stories concerning the tart’s origin, but the most common is that Stephanie Tatin, at the Hotel Tatin, started to make a traditional apple pie but left the apples cooking in butter and sugar for too long. Smelling the burning, she tried to rescue the dish by putting the pastry base on top of the pan of apples, quickly finishing the cooking by putting the whole pan in the oven.

• 4 ounces light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3 small granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 package of puff pastry, thawed, one sheet

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease the bottom of a 9″ cake pan with butter or use a non-stick pan. Cover the bottom with the brown sugar. Press down so it is firm. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the sugar.
• Arrange the apple slices over the cinnamon, fanning them out from the centre and overlapping the slices.
• Lay the sheet of puff pastry over the pan and cut to fit. Tuck down evenly over the apples.
• Cook for 40 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown.
• Flip over to serve hot with ice cream.

Simple Summer Pudding Recipe

This is a delicious and easy treat for a summer dessert, made with fruit and bread.

• 2 tbsp. water
• 5oz / 150g sugar
• 1lb/450g washed, berries and fruit
• 4 – 6oz/100 -150g  sliced white bread, crusts removed

Method

• Bring water and sugar to a gentle boil. Stew the fruits until softened but retaining their shape.
• Line a 1½ pint pudding basin with bread allowing no gaps. Fill with stewed fruits and cover with more bread slices.
• Place a saucer with a weight on top and leave overnight in a cool place.
• Turn out of the moulds and serve with custard or cream.

This is the simplest summer pudding recipe although there are variations.