Let’s talk PANCAKES!
Do you know how easy it is to modify a pancake recipe so it’s gluten free and dairy free?
Well let me tell you now how to make these divinely soft and spongey pancakes - you wouldn’t even know they were free from anything they are that delicious!
I used an electric whisk which is easier and quicker but a hand whisk will do the job just fine.
Brownies are a special little treat. With a different ratio of ingredients to that of a cake mix, the absolute key element of a brownie is the gooey centre. It's what makes a brownie a brownie!
With this recipe, you can also play around with whatever flavours you like, instead of pecans you can swap in chopped mixed nuts or almost any nut you are a fan of. In place of the chopped dates, you can swap in a similar fruit with a wildly different flavour - try it with dried sour cherries!
Pancake Tuesday is coming, and it is one of my favourite feasts of the year.
Making and eating pancakes reminds me very much of childhood years and my own mom frying pancakes that tasted gorgeous. It was a hungry household with five kids, so she seemed to be at the cooker for ever and a plate was always waiting to be filled.
It`s no wonder she only did it once a year, but it was a wonderful once and gave us all memories for a lifetime.
I like to eat lots of pancakes, inviting friends and family over and have some left over for the next day so this is a big batch recipe to feed the hordes.
I wanted to do a recipe to celebrate the centenary by ‘modernising’ a sweet treat available at the time. But the reality was that the working middle classes had little money for treats, and there is not a lot to work with.
Cheese is a great staple in the fridge, and provides a quick and delicious lunch, regardless of whether you throw it between two slices of bread, deep fry it, melt it , slice dice or grate it.
Halloumi is a Cypriot, firm, slightly springy white cheese, traditionally made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk, although these days cow's milk is also used. Its texture is similar to that of mozzarella or thick feta, except that it has a strong, salty flavour from the brine preserve. It has a high melting point and so can easily be fried or grilled.
If you find the flavor too salty, soak for a few hours in water to remove some of the saltiness, although in this recipe – the combination of the salty cheese against the sweetness of the strawberries or watermelon is spot on.
Once you have bought your halloumi and are wondering what else to do with it, it makes amazing burgers. Fry your slice of halloumi in the same way as you would a meat patty –and then build your burger according to your own taste ( burger bun, salad leaves, sliced tomatoes, chillis , relish etc )