If you've been on the internet at all today, or stepped outside or even had any form of contact with any other human, then you probably know that it's Pancake Tuesday.
Grand job so, we're all clear on that. However, what remains to be seen is how you're going to go about making your pancakes this evening, but fear not, the Man Cave has a couple of recipes that you can try out if you're feeling that you want a change from the classic crepe that we all know and love.
First off, in this day and age, people know a lot more about their bodies, and might have food intolerances that make it difficult for them to enjoy this delicious day. We believe firmly that no one should be excluded from the joy of pancakes, so that's why this recipe from Donal Skeehan and the guys at the Happy Pear is a winner on all fronts; gluten free, dairy free and delicious, these will be a hit with everyone.
What you need for this recipe (makes 15 small pancakes):
- 120g Buckwheat flour
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 250ml rice milk
- 1⁄3 of ripe banana
- 4 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons tahini/peanut butter
- oil for frying
We'll let the guys themselves explain how to proceed from here, and they even have a few ideas for tasty healthy toppings that will knock these up another notch too.
If your New Year's health kick is still going strong and you want to try and avoid indulging too much today, then there's also an incredibly simple recipe that you can try that will make healthy, delicious pancakes that you don't have to feel guilty about, and actually make a nutritious, quick breakfast any day of the week. All you need for this recipe (makes 4-6 pancakes, depending on size) is:
- 100g of oats
- 12 egg whites
- pinch of cinnamon
Throw all the ingredients in to a blender until you get the consistency of pancake batter, and simply pour the mixture in to a pan to make your cakes. Flip when the bubbles that appear on the top of the pancake start to burst, and then you can top them with whatever you like, from honey and fruit to peanut butter, none of which should throw you too far off track when it comes to your fitness goals.
Right, now that all that healthy stuff is out of the way, it's on to the seriously indulgent ones that are so unhealthy and delicious, they should be eaten in privacy so that no one needs to see your shame made public. Besides, making a big stack of thick, fluffy American-style pancakes is a skill that every man should have in his repertoire, and the end result looks as mouth-watering as this.
This recipe is a bit more complex, given that it also involves making Esquire's patented four vice syrup, but trust us, it's worth it. What you need for this recipe (makes about 12 pancakes):
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 3 Tbsp butter, plus more for cooking
Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl, and melt the butter in a small dish in the microwave. This should take no more than 30 seconds or so. Crack in the two eggs and put them through the mixture add the butter and gradually add the milk until you reach the desired consistency (still slightly thick). You might not need to use all the milk, or you may need to use slightly more, but you want it to just hold a figure of 8 in batter on top for a few short moments. Put the batter aside and get working on the syrup, which is the real money maker here. If you're feeling extra adventurous, you can add some blueberries or even some granola to your pancake mix, which will make things possible even more delicious, as if that were possible.
- 4 slices of smoked, thin-sliced bacon, cooked
- 1 cup maple syrup, preferably Crown Maple dark amber
- 1 shot of espresso
- 1 shot rye whiskey
Cook the bacon in a pan, making sure that it doesn't burn but is nice and crispy, you want to get a real contrast of textures with the soft pancakes. Add the maple syrup, the coffee and the whiskey to a pan over a low heat, just until it simmers. You could use a teaspoon of ground coffee either, as Esquire recommend, but we found that the shot of coffee works better to capture the flavour. Make sure that the mixture does not boil or get too hot, as the maple syrup will thin out too much, and you want a thick, sticky topping. Crumble in the bacon just before serving.
In a frying pan, melt some butter and begin adding your pancake mix, we find using a ladle here quite helpful. Again, when the bubbles on one side start to pop, flip the pancake and cook until golden brown on both sides. Liberally add syrup to your pancakes, and give zero f**ks.
Those are three variations that you can try if you're feeling adventurous today, but truly there is no single right way to enjoy pancakes, so just get involved and live your life by your own rules. Don't let anyone tell you what to do, other motivational slogans, and so on.
