How To
It's only six steps to heaven.
When it comes to setting fire to your Christmas day finale, the Christmas pud, you'll want to be certain your rare cognac is doing the business. A few simple tips from delicious. are all you'll need.
Sauces, veg, pies and cakes can all be made in advance so you're not rushing around like a headless turkey on Christmas day.
A showstopping Christmas cake is fun to make, brilliant for impressive entertaining, and so much better than the shop-bought alternative.
Crowd-pleasing, indulgent and easy to make, roulades may be retro but they’ll never go out of fashion. Try a chocolate version and three tempting variations.
Made a hash of things? No-one need ever know! These golden nuggets of advice will save time and reduce stress in the kitchen this Christmas.
How To make pancakes
Once you learn the basic rules, you’ll be able to create perfect wafer-thin crepes every time.
Tips for making the batter
- Add the milk to the flour gradually, whisking continuously as you go, until you have a smooth batter. Don’t panic if it’s lumpy – simply sieve into another bowl.
- Always rest your batter for at least 20 minutes before using. This allows the starch in the flour to swell and soften, giving you a lighter batter. You can rest it overnight, chilled, but thin it down with a little milk before using.
- Invest in a good crepe pan made of cast iron – it conducts heat well, meaning the pancakes will cook evenly. A handle that stays cool is vital, too.
- If your crepe pan is new, season it (if necessary), to make it virtually non-stick. Heat the pan until hot, rub with salt then wipe clean. Heat again, rub with mild oil and again wipe clean. Cool. Your pan is now ready to use. Never wash the pan after use – wipe clean with kitchen paper.
Hints for cooking pancakes
- Cooking the pancakes in a mild oil is better than using butter, which burns easily.
- Less is more when making pancakes – the less batter you add to the pan, the more likely you are to end up with beautifully thin pancakes. Fill in any gaps with more batter if you need to.
- The first pancake is often a write-off, as it takes practise to get the pan heat right and swirl the batter around – batter recipes tend to allow for the odd mishap!
- Using a palette knife to flip pancakes over is much easier and less messy than tossing them. The non-stick quality of your pan is vital here, too. l Layer pancakes up between baking paper to stop them sticking. You can freeze them like this, wrapped in cling film, for 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and warm through in a low oven.
Pancakes
Makes 4 large or 8 medium.
Takes about 20 minutes to make, plus resting the batter.
125g plain flour
1 medium egg, beaten
275ml-300ml semi-skimmed milk
Vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying
1. To make the batter, sift the flour with a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, pour in the egg and slowly whisk in enough milk to make a smooth batter, the consistency of pouring cream. Rest for at least 20 minutes.
2. Heat about a 28cm crepe pan or a smaller heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, dip some kitchen paper in the oil and wipe across the surface of the pan. Add a small ladleful of batter and tilt the pan to swirl the batter evenly and thinly.
3. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the pancake is golden underneath.
4. Loosen all around the pancake with a palette knife. Flip over and cook
for a further minute, until golden.
5. Slide out onto a plate, putting a sheet of greaseproof paper between each pancake to stop them sticking together. Repeat
to finish up the batter – oil the pan between each pancake.
6. Serve the pancakes with lemon wedges to squeeze over and sprinkle with caster sugar.
Per large pancake: 209kcals, 8.7g fat (1.9g saturated), 7.2g protein, 27.5g carbs, 3.7g sugar, 0.1g salt.
Crepes suzettes1. Make the master batter recipe (above, or click
here) adding 1 teaspoon icing sugar and the grated zest of 1/2 orange. Rest and cook as before. Fold the pancakes into eighths or quarters, depending on their size, and set aside.
2. Make the sauce by dissolving 40g caster sugar in a frying pan. Increase the heat and cook until golden. Add 40g butter and the juice of 2 small oranges and cook until the sauce is simmering. Stir in 2 tablespoons Cointreau.
3. Return the folded pancakes to the pan and pour over 2 tablespoons brandy. Flambé by carefully igniting the sauce with a long taper. Remove from the heat while the flames die down.
4. Divide the pancakes and sauce between plates. Scatter with thin strips of orange zest and serve with crème fraîche.
Pancakes with ice cream and warm berries
1. Thaw 500g frozen mixed berries in a pan over a medium heat, then simmer until juicy. Add 2-3 tablespoons icing sugar, to taste, then cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, make the master pancake recipe (above. or click here).
3. Place some vanilla ice cream on one half of each pancake, spoon over the juicy berries and fold the other pancake half over to enclose. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Try these three savoury ideas:
- Mexican chicken wraps Add chopped fresh coriander to the batter before cooking. Fill each pancake with cooked chicken pieces, grated Cheddar, salsa, sliced and drained jalapeños and soured cream. Roll up, put into a dish and grill for 5 minutes or until hot.
- Creamy prawn and spinach Cook the pancakes. Mix 2 handfuls cooked and peeled prawns, a bag of spinach, wilted and excess water squeezed out, 1/2 tub crème fraîche and grated Parmesan. Fill each cooked pancake, fold up like an envelope and put in a dish. Dot with the remaining crème fraîche and scatter with fresh breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan. Grill for 4-5 minutes, until hot and golden.
- Brunch-style Cook the pancakes. Grill a pack of streaky bacon, some halved tomatoes and flat mushrooms. Fry some eggs. Fold up each pancake, then top with the mushrooms, tomatoes, crispy bacon and a fried egg.