RASPBERRY DROP PANCAKES

By Angela Clutton

Makes 16

My favourite pancakes are the stacks of slightly risen crempog, which are a Welsh tradition. If you aren’t familiar, think of American pancakes and you are on the right lines – but these are distinctly smaller and lighter. Mighty tempting for an indulgent breakfast, afternoon tea or dessert with some cream or yoghurt on the side. Buttermilk is the traditional ingredient for these because of its acidity, which reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to give a characteristic bubble and rise. Here, that is replicated with a mix of milk and infused vinegar (try Fitz Fine Foods for a selection of options). The quick cooking in the hot griddle or frying pan gets the raspberries going just enough to release their flavour, without them losing their shape. Their sweetness marries gorgeously with the gentle acidity of the pseudo-buttermilk.

Ingredients:

200ml whole milk

1 tbsp herb- or flower-infused vinegar

25g butter, plus extra for cooking and serving

180g plain flour

1 egg, beaten

¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda

90g raspberries

Honey, golden syrup or maple syrup, for drizzling

Method: Stir together the milk and vinegar in a bowl or jug and set aside. Melt the butter and leave to cool.

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, then use a hand whisk to mix in the melted butter and the milk and vinegar mixture until you have a smooth batter. Whisk in the egg. The batter can be made to this point 2 hours before using.

Just before you’re ready to start cooking, whisk in the bicarbonate of soda then gently fold through 70g raspberries, keeping the rest for serving.

Grease a frying pan or griddle with a small knob of butter and heat it until good and hot. Make each pancake by dropping 1 tbsp batter into the pan. I would make 4-5 pancakes at a time. Allow to cook for 2 mins until bubbly and puffed up and the underside is golden brown. Flip them over and repeat on the other side. Keep the pancakes warm while you finish the rest (adding more butter to the pan as necessary), building up stacks of pancakes as you go with a little butter, a few raspberries and a drizzle of honey or syrup between each layer.