Rachel Allen’s pancakes with bacon and maple syrup

Method

1. Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Add the sugar, mix and make a well in the centre. In another bowl whisk the eggs, then add the buttermilk and melted butter. Pour this into the well of dry ingredients and gradually whisk in. The batter is ready to use now or it can rest for an hour or so.
2. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and oil it lightly. Drop large spoonfuls of the batter into the hot pan, leaving spaces between them. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface, then use a fish slice to turn them over and cook on the other side, until golden brown. Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining pancakes.
3. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the bacon rashers until crisp. Serve the pancakes in stacks with rashers of crispy bacon and maple syrup to pour over.