For me this is one of huge benefits of owning an ESSE cooker, using the hotplate to cook pancakes, tortillas and flat breads direct on the hotplate. Its worth getting the cooker just for pancakes!! No need to own any non-stick frying pan as you have your own built in pancake pan! You will make about 8-10 pancakes. Pancakes are quick and easy to make “1-2-3 “ (100g flour, 2 eggs, 300ml milk). The batter improves in texture and flavour if you leave it to rest for 30 minutes or over night in the fridge before making the pancakes. This gives the flour a chance to absorb the liquid and for the gluten to relax. This recipe makes crepe style pancakes as I love them thin. The consistency of the batter determines the thickness of the pancake. The thinner the batter the thinner the pancake. Have a flippin’ time!
Ingredients
- 100g plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 300ml milk
- A knob of butter, melted
- A tablespoon of poppy seeds
- A pinch of sea salt
For the filling:
- 150g lemon curd
- 200g cream cheese
Method
- Put the flour, a pinch of salt and poppy seeds in a bowl.
- Make a well in the centre and whisk in the eggs, then slowly whisk in the milk, drawing the flour into the liquid to make a smooth batter.
- Whisk in the melted butter.
- Ideally, let the batter to rest for half an hour.
- Meanwhile, make the filling by beating the lemon curd into the cream cheese. Taste, you can always add some fresh lemon juice for extra sharpness.
To cook the pancakes, heat the hotplate to 200C (dial on 12 o’clock) and wipe the hotplate with a greased kitchen paper. Then using a ladle pour a little batter directly on the hotplate, swirl it around with the back of the spoon to make it thin.
Allow the pancake to brown on its underside, this will take about 60 seconds and then flip, using a palette knife, and cook until golden on the other side. As the pancakes are cooked, stack and repeat with the remaining batter. Then when you are ready to serve them, cover half of each pancake with the curd filling and fold in half. These can be made in advance and reheated in the ESSE.
Recipe prepared using the right hand side of the cast iron hotplate on the ESSE Ironheart wood-fired cooking stove by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen, East Sussex.
