Newsletter #23 – Pancakes

by · September 19, 2025

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Pancake is a generic name for a flattish cooked batter of starch, liquid and other ingredients. They may be sweet or savoury; decadent or healthy; big or small; meals or snacks. With so many varieties you could probably find a different variety of pancake with each country you visited, whether it be ‘Poffertjes’ in The Netherlands, Okonomiyaki in Japan or the daunting pancake stack of the U.S.A. In Australia and New Zealand, you will find the humble pikelet.

Today we will have a look at three different pancake recipes. Firstly, the Crepe, from France followed by Japanese Pancakes and finally a pancake style you may find on any good breakfast menu in Australia.

The Crepe

In France, crepes have religious significance and date back to the fifth century. They are traditionally served on the Christian Holiday named Candlemas and are enjoyed throughout the world.

The batter is very simple and is noted by the fact that it has no significant raising agents in the recipe and hence is very thin.  The flavour could be described as neutral. Additional ingredients added later can make the crepe either sweet or savoury. Crepes Suzette is an example of a sweet dessert crepe that can be prepared table side. Being very thin they can also be rolled into a cylindrical shape and filled with crème patisserie. There are lots of possibilities and they can be made in advance and also frozen for future use.

Savoury crêpes are called Galette and can be served with a multitude of fillings. In Melbourne’s Flinders Lane, the restaurant Roule Galette served me their delicious ham and egg version.

Crepes

Ingredients for about 12 crepes:
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Course: Dessert
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 20 g melted butter cooled
  • vegetable oil for cooking

Method
 

  1. Assemble ingredients
  2. Combine the flour and salt
  3. In a separate bowl combine by whisking the eggs, milk and water
  4. Whisk the flour mix into the egg mix thoroughly to make a smooth batter
  5. Finally mix in the melted butter
  6. Ready
Cooking the Crepes:
  1. A suitable sized crepe is around 15 cm diameter and should plate up nicely if you were rolling or folding the crepe. A flat non-stick pan with a minimum base diameter of 18cm should allow you to attain reasonable shape. A measured amount of batter is also important – around 50ml to 60 ml. A one quarter cup measure would be suitable. Initially, after heating a little oil in your pan, tip off the excess oil. I use kitchen paper soaked in oil and rubbed over the hot pan for subsequent crepes. The pan should be hot enough to set the batter but also allow the batter to run as you tilt the pan.
  2. Heat the oil in the pan
  3. Tip of excess
  4. Holding the pan by the handle pour into the batter a little off- centre
  5. Tilt the pan around the full 360 degrees to attain a circular shape
  6. Return to heat
  7. Cook for 1 -2 minutes. Light golden colour is good
  8. Turn with spatula and cook for a little less than a minute
  9. The side now facing you is the presentation side
  10. Turn the crepe out onto a plate
  11. Ready

Notes

For a thinner batter add a little more milk.            
A simple accompaniment is fresh lemon juice and icing sugar.

Japanese Fluffy Pancakes

Words to describe Japanese Fluffy Pancakes include addictive and delicious. Tricky is another word that can crop up when at first you prepare them.

Originating in Honolulu in the early 2000’s they have since become a Japanese staple and are popular throughout the world. They are relatively low in carbohydrates requiring only a little flour. A down side is that they ‘deflate’ as they cool.

While not compulsory equipment, these pancakes are often made in moulds similar to large egg-rings. This gives most people the ability to aim for restaurant standard. Free-form is also OK. The cooking process requires the pan to be lidded and slightly steam the pancake.

Japanese Fluffy Pancakes

Ingredients for two generous pancakes:
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Course: Dessert
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 25 ml milk room temperature
  • ¼ tsp vanilla
  • ¼ cup self raising flour
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • salt scant
  • 2 egg whites
  • ¼ tsp cream of tartar
  • 30 g caster sugar
  • water for steaming
  • unsalted butter for cooking

Method
 

  1. In a bowl mix the egg yolks, milk and vanilla
  2. Add the flour, salt and extra baking powder to the egg mix
  3. Whisk to form a smooth thick batter
  4. Meanwhile melt a little butter in your pan over a low heat
  5. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form
  6. Continuing to whisk gradually add the sugar. Continue until all of the sugar has dissolved and a meringue has formed
  7. Carefully fold the meringue into the batter. Do not overbeat.
Cooking:
  1. Check that the pan is not too hot
  2. Using a set measure place the batter in the frypan. Let it find its own height
  3. Repeat until you have some well spaced pancakes to suit the size of the pan
  4. In the same order place another scoop of batter on top of each one
  5. Add about 10ml water to the pan (avoiding the pancakes) and cover the pan with lid
  6. Cook for 1 ½ minutes.
  7. Add a third scoop to each pancake before replacing the lid
  8. Cook for a further 4 minutes
  9. Turn the pancakes and add a little more water before replacing the lid
  10. Cook for a further 4 minutes. Serve immediately
  11. The finished pancakes can be served with your choice of sweet topping

 

Blueberry & Ricotta Pancakes

Pancakes in Australia were championed in the 1960’s by the establishment of the Pancake Parlour Restaurant Chain in Melbourne. Sixty years on Pancake Parlour is still running as a family business.

When I was apprenticed in the early seventies pancakes were generally not a feature item on a breakfast menu and the breakfast buffet was still in its infancy. In Sydney if you wanted pancakes ‘Pancakes on the Rocks’ was the place to go.

Short Stacks (two pancakes) and Stacks (three and up), which were on offer then at breakfast, highlighted our pancakes American origins, but being an inventive bunch we came up with lots of options which pushed pancakes into ‘anytime’ eating.

In Australian restaurants and cafes their in house recipes can be very similar, opting for lighter batters. Once again differences can be achieved by adding ingredients such as fruit to the batter and also the toppings and sauces.

My recipe can be used as both a pancake recipe and a waffle recipe, which is very handy when you are catering for grandchildren.

Blueberry & Ricotta Pancakes

Ingredients for 3 servings:
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Course: Dessert
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 250 ml milk
  • ¼ tsp vanilla essence
  • 150 g self raising flour
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 30 g caster sugar
  • 25 g melted unsalted butter
  • 2 egg whites
  • 150 g blueberries washed and dried
  • 150 g fresh ricotta broken up into smaller lumps
  • blueberries garnish
  • 20 g butter for cooking

Method
 

  1. Assemble ingredients
  2. In a bowl mix the egg yolks, milk and vanilla
  3. Add the s.r.flour, salt, baking powder and sugar
  4. Whisk to form a smooth batter
  5. Mix in the melted butter
  6. Stir in the blueberries
  7. Gently fold in the ricotta
  8. In a separate clean bowl whisk the egg whites to a meringue consistency
  9. Gently fold in the egg white. Stir until the egg white is well distributed
  10. Should be used within 30 minutes
Cooking:
  1. In your frypan, over medium heat, melt a little butter
  2. When the butter is sizzling add a generous scoop, say 220ml
  3. Tilt the frypan to distribute the batter to give a diameter of around 12cm
  4. Cook for 2 – 2½ minutes – bubbles will start to appear. Turn the pancake
  5. Cook other side for about 1 – 1½ minutes
  6. Repeat until all the batter is used
  7. Serve one or two pancakes with whipped cream and maple syrup
  8. I topped mine with honeycomb butter, toasted almonds, some more blueberries and a dusting of icing sugar.

Honeycomb butter

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Course: Dessert
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 50 g unsalted butter softened
  • 50 g light cream cheese room temperature
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla
  • 40 g honeycomb crushed

Method
 

  1. Using a whisk, cream the butter until it is pale
  2. Add cream cheese and vanilla. Continue beating
  3. When the butter and cream cheese is nice and fluffy whisk in the honeycomb
  4. Ready

 

 

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