During the first lockdown I set out on a mission to master the ultimate Fluffy Pancake Recipe, much to my family’s joy, I believe I did it. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, these pancakes have become a Sunday staple. Now that lockdown is upon us again, I thought it was best to share this recipe along with my top tips to ensure that we all get our fluffy pancake fix.

As a note, this recipe makes a lot of batter. I recommend keeping any left-over mixture in the fridge and it will provide quick and easy access to fluffy pancakes for the rest of the week.  You can even top them with something savoury transforming this lazy-Sunday treat into an easy midweek meal. Alternatively, you always have the option of halving the recipe

Having made these pancakes a fair few times, I have learnt some invaluable tips along the way which I have outlined throughout the recipe. First tip: the hard(ish) work is in the preparation of your ingredients. Prepare well and the method will be super easy.

Prepare the Ingredients

Sift the flour into one of your mixing bowls. If you are using different sized mixing bowls, sift the flour into the largest bowl.

Separate the eggs and stir the egg yolks until they combine.

In one of your other mixing bowls, whisk the egg whites to a soft peak. You can do this manually, however it is much easier (and faster) to use an electric whisk.

TOP TIP: Avoid whisking the air out of the egg whites.

This stage is super important in determining the texture of the pancakes. It is the air-filled egg whites that contribute to the fluffiness of the pancakes. If you over whisk the whites, then the pancakes will be on the stodgy side as opposed to being light.

Keep this in mind when you try the final product. You can then tailor the density of your pancake by either whisking the egg whites more or less.

Personally, I think they are best when they are fluffy and airy and this is achieved by whisking the egg whites to a soft peak.

Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat. Keep the butter moving to prevent it from burning.

Once all your ingredients are prepared you can start mixing them together. This is where the simplicity of the recipe shines through, and where you will feel the benefit of having done all the prep!

Get Mixing

Add the baking powder to the sifted flour and stir together until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk and the egg yolk.

Add the melted butter to the milk and egg yolk mixture. Stir until combined.

You should now have 3 bowls: one containing the flour and baking powder, one containing the milk, egg yolk and melted butter, and the other containing the whisked egg whites.

Pour the milk, egg and butter mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until combined.

Finally, fold the egg whites into this mixture.

TOP TIP: At this point try to keep as much air in the bowl as possible. Folding the mixture ensures the air is not beaten out of the egg whites and makes certain the fluffy pancakes remain fluffy!

Now your pancake batter is done! Store it in the fridge for another day or fry straight away.

Get Frying

It took me some time to learn how to manage the pancake as it rose in the pan. To help you avoid the same questionably shaped pancakes I faced, I have outlined my top tips below.

Spray some oil onto a small scoop (I use a ⅓ cup measure) and use this to spoon the batter into the pan. This helps the batter fall where you want it to and avoids creating a sticky mess.

Use tall metal pancake rings! It makes the whole process much easier. They help to contain the pancake as they rise and create the perfect stackable pancake. Make sure you grease the rings before you pour the batter in.

Oil is your friend and olive oil in particular. I found that the more oil I lined the frying pan with, the better. These pancakes are best when they are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. A thicker layer of olive oil in the pan really helps to achieve that crisp edge.

Next up, make sure you fry the pancakes on a medium-low heat. Unlike normal pancakes, you want to cook these for about 15-20 minutes. Keeping the heat low ensures the pancake cooks all the way through without burning the bottom.

You need less batter per pancake than you think due to the fact they rise quite significantly as they cook.

Keep the lid on the pan as you are cooking the pancakes. This contains the heat which helps the pancake cook all the way through. It also seals the top of the pancakes ready for that all-important flip.

Finally, use a cocktail stick to check that the pancake is cooked through to the centre before you remove the ring and go for the flip. If the batter is still wet in the middle then the pancake will collapse when you remove the ring.

Follow all of these tips and I am sure that this will be your go-to fluffy pancake recipe for the entirety of lockdown (and beyond)!