How to enjoy Pancake Day… all day long

Who doesn’t love a pancake stack? Oozing with… well, whatever you fancy. This year, let’s really go to town and eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Have pancakes with maple syrup and bacon to start the day, then move on to nacho-style toppings for lunch, before teaming them with Gruyere cheese or Parma ham for dinner (plus there are obviously some great plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free options to try). And of course there are countless ways to turn pancakes into your ideal pudding…

Stuck for deas? We’ve three delicious recipes for you to try with styling ideas to make your Pancake Day an occasion to remember. But first, let’s brush up on the basics.

If you want to really nail your pancakes this year – whatever time of day you tuck into them – then it’s the pan that’s key. Partner & Assistant Buyer, Cookshop, Emma Lay believes the main thing to look for in a pancake pan is a great non-stick coating. ‘Pancake batter is notoriously sticky, so a good quality non-stick will help you flip your pancakes like a pro.

The shallow sides on a pancake pan also help you get your pancake out without breaking or tearing them, explains Emma. ‘Pancake pans tend to be flat right up to the sides – rather than convex like a normal frying pan – which helps you get a perfect round pancake,’ she says.

For breakfast, it’s got to be an American-style stack, dripping with sweetness. Keep the styling simple with a white rimless plate (they always make anything look Insta-worthy) and crisp table linens. Use smaller bowls or ramekins to present your pancake’s toppings, and decant that maple syrup into a little jug. Serve with fresh juices poured from a glass pitcher.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

200g pack Waitrose Cherries
200ml freshly squeezed orange juice 
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp clear honey
1⁄2 vanilla pod, halved lengthways
250g tub essential Waitrose Italian Ricotta
125ml semi-skimmed milk
2 large Waitrose British Blacktail Free Range Eggs, separated
100g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1-2 tbsp sunflower oil

METHOD

1. Place the cherries, orange and lemon juice, honey and vanilla in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the cherries are tender and the liquid is syrupy.

2. Meanwhile, place the ricotta, lemon zest, milk and egg yolks in a bowl and beat to combine. Add the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt, and fold in to make a smooth batter. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they’re softly peaking, then fold into the mixture.

3. Brush a heavy-based frying pan with a little oil and drop large spoonfuls of batter into the pan to make 6- 7cm-sized pancakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes each side until golden and cooked through. Cover and keep warm while you cook in batches to make 12.

4. Divide the pancakes between 4 plates, spoon over the poached cherries and serve.

Cook’s tip: any leftover cherries can be chilled and served the next morning with yogurt and granola. Look out for the stones in the cherries.

Swap that sandwich for a light and fluffy pancake fritter, made on the go between Zoom calls if you're working from home. Take time to style your plate, pouring the sauce into a tapas or dip bowl and garnishing with fresh herbs. Choose a pastel-coloured coupe or side plate on which to present – the smaller size will make it feel more ‘light lunch’.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes 

Serves: 4, makes 12

INGREDIENTS

1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Cooks’ Ingredients Red Chilli, seeded and chopped
50g caster sugar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 essential Waitrose Sweetcorn Cobs
100g self-raising flour
2 medium eggs, separated
3 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
1 small red onion, finely chopped
20g pack fresh coriander, chopped

METHOD

1. Place the garlic, chilli, sugar and vinegar together in a small pan and add 100ml water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3–5 minutes until the chilli is soft and the sauce reduced by half. Remove from the heat, then pour into a small dish and leave to cool. Cook the corn cobs in a pan of boiling water for 5–6 minutes until the corn kernels are tender. Drain and scrape the sweetcorn from the cobs using a sharp knife.

2. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl with seasoning. Make a well in the centre. Whisk the egg yolks and milk together and whisk into the flour to make a very thick batter. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff and then fold into the batter.

3. Fold the corn, onion and chopped coriander through the batter mixture. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the pan and cook for a minute or two on each side until golden. Keep warm on a plate in the oven while you cook the rest. Serve garnished with fresh coriander and the dipping sauce. 

When is a pancake not quite… well a pancake? When it's folded. Take a traditional ‘crepe’ style and pile high with Indian flavours, serving with a spoonful of natural youghurt. It's like a pancake-meets-naan bread moment that could easily become your new Saturday fakeaway favourite. Use little dip bowls for sauces and natural yoghurt and serve with a glass of wine or Indian lager.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes 

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

125g plain flour
1 medium Waitrose British Blacktail Free Range Egg
300ml semi-skimmed milk
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 x 300g packs Waitrose British Chicken Breast Chunks In A Spiced Tikka

Marinade
4 salad onions, sliced
4 tbsp Geeta’s Premium Mango Chutney
4 tbsp low fat Greek yogurt

METHOD

1. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt together into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the egg and half the milk. Whisk together well then stir in the rest of the milk to make a smooth batter. Stir in the chilli and cumin, and set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Reserve 1 tbsp of the oil, then heat a little of the remaining oil in an 18cm pancake pan or shallow frying pan and add a ladleful of the batter. Swirl it around the pan and cook for 1–2 minutes each side until golden. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make 8 pancakes, keeping them warm, separated with sheets of kitchen paper.

3. Heat the rest of the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and cook the chicken for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through with no pink meat. Divide the chicken between the pancakes, putting it on one quarter of the pancake, and top with the salad onions, mango chutney and yogurt. Fold up the pancakes to make parcels, and serve.

Cook’s tip: to save time you can make the batter the day before and keep it in the fridge until you want to cook the pancakes. 

For more inspiration head to Waitrose’s Pancake Day recipes.