Pancake Tuesday

I hope you're as excited as I am for Pancake Tuesday!!

This week on sUCCulent,  I talked about savoury and sweet pancakes, as well as the pancake party possibilities! :)

As you know I'm a huge pancake lover, as documented here... and here! The recipe I mentioned, by Darina Allen is one which I live by, here's a previous post on how to make the perfect pancake.

We all know I love sweet, decadent flavours but what about you? Let me know in the comments section.

Get flipping!!!

Stay sweet! x

Weekend Treats

Last night I visited the Arts and Crafts Fair in Cork City hall for the first time in years! My mom and I used to go every year when I was younger (the hight light being a Wizard of Oz ragdoll which featured Dorothy but when you turned her upside down the Lion, the Tinman and the Strawman appeared!) This year was a little different as I appreciated the food stands much more. I kept some self control however and only purchased these delicious lollipops from Eve Chocolates. At €1 each they were incredibly good value and oh so delicious!

If anybody is around Cork today, definitely pop in!

This morning was cold, wet and miserable. What better breakfast than pancakes? 

Find out how to make pancakes here.

This new addition to the kitchen, a le Creuset jug was perfect for beating the pancakes and really cut down on the clean up job after- it would make a great Christmas present for a pancake chef... and a good hint that you want more pancakes!!

Whatever you get up to, enjoy your weekend!

Stay sweet!

Milis in Mallorca

A trip to Mallorca for a much-needed dose of sunshine, sea, sand and relaxation proved surprisingly fruitful for sweet treats!! Thankfully the heat which reached up to 29degrees Celcius had us working off the excess calories from the treats featured below! :)

Indulgent Breakfasts....

Chocolate Pancakes from Restaurant Dutchie, Santa Ponsa.

Store-bought brioche, enhanced with scrumptious Nutella!

Snacks

Why do we not have these in Ireland?! 

This was my second time tasting this ice-cream and it exceeded my expectations from memory!! 

 Creamy white chocolate, tangy strawberry ice-cream... The stuff of dreams!!!

Another two products which should be brought West! Haribo sweets are always top of my list when it comes to snacks, but these fruit-themed varieties were delicious! 

Soft and foamy so they didn't hurt your teeth, or give you a belly-ache; yet so intensely flavoursome that you couldn't help but eat almost the entire bag in one sitting! 

I really do hope they export them here, I feel life will never be the same again after tasting these fruity sensations!!

And finally....

Mecca!

Bank Holiday Brunch

Some mornings cereal just doesn't cut it, toast is too meagre and fruit far too healthy!! Mornings like this call for pancakes!! Bank holiday weekends are the best times for this, as you can have a lie-in and then impress everyone at home, who would normally be at work, with your fantastic culinary skills! Plus they keep you feeling full all day long, so you're free to go for a walk, take a trip or simply lounge around for the day without having to worry about lunch! Pancakes are the ultimate bank holiday brunch feast!!

I like my pancakes big enough to hold a whole lotta filling, and thick enough that the filling isn't too overpowering! The fluffier the pancake, the nicer, so watch them intently while cooking! As long as they're golden, that's long enough! If making small, thick, American-style pancakes, make sure to cook until more brown to ensure that the egg is cooked. 

A good tip is to grease the pan (by melting a knob of butter) every second pancake, if cooking a few at a time. This way they are less greasy! Also, don't try to spread the butter evenly by tilting the pan- this is how the pancake sticks to the bottom :( Instead, make sure the centre is covered and the butter drizzles off randomly to the side. This way, you can use your spatula to lift up the sides of the pancake as it cooks, ensuring it doesn't stick, while the middle can be picked up when you're ready to flip!

A mess-reducing way of measuring the batter into the pan is to use a ladle! They are usually deep enough to fill a large pan and (I find) are a more accurate means of measuring than a jug.

I use Darina Allen's savoury pancake recipe (because my Mom used it every Pancake Tuesday since I can remember!!) and it never fails! The recipe says it makes 12 pancakes, but you can reduce this to six at the minimum, depending on how thick you want your pancakes to be.

6oz white flour
Pinch salt
2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk (I usually throw in three eggs)
3/4 pint of milk (I use fat free milk so the pancakes are a little lighter, and more crispy!)
3-4 dessert spoons of butter for melting

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre and drop in the lightly beaten eggs. With a wooden spoon, starting in the centre, mix the egg and gradually bring in the flour. Add the liquid slowly and beat with a mixer until the batter is covered with bubbles.
Let the batter stand in a cold place for an hour or longer (I usually put it in the fridge while cleaning my workspace and cook the batter straight away, although if you can wait a few hours you will have better pancakes!) 
*Add the melted butter into the batter just before cooking so you can cook the pancakes without greasing the pan each time...Disclosure: I have never been brave enough/been too excited this late in the game to try this, so I usually lob a knob of butter onto the pan!

I like to enjoy these pancakes with Nutella, golden syrup, sugar, strawberries, ice cream, chocolate chips, bananas, I've even tried marshmallows! Absolutely anything I can get my hands on tastes delicious with pancakes so enjoy!!

Go on, have a flip! ;)

My gazillionth pancake (as you can see from the plate!)