Over the Christmas break I invested in a new waffle maker.  With all the family at home, American style pancakes proved a popular breakfast – popular enough to get the young adults out of bed before lunchtime.  Waffles, it turned out, were an even more effective alarm clock!

I was using different recipes for my pancakes and waffles, and it struck me that as they involved the same ingredients, it would be great to work out a multi-tasking batter that would work for both.  A little research revealed that waffle batters generally have a slightly higher fat content which delivers that delicious crispy surface.  Waffle batter is also a little runnier than pancake batter, making for a light and fluffy end result.

A little experimentation led me to the perfect waffle/pancake formula.  As with all batters, you start with a dry mix and then add your wet ingredients.  The composition of the dry mix for both pancakes and waffles is the same, while the wet mix needs a slight variation in the quantity of egg, milk and butter for perfect results.  The absolutely best results came from separating the eggs, adding the yolks to the wet mix and whisking the egg whites to add to the batter just before cooking.  If you don’t have the time or inclination for this, then you can just whisk the whole eggs into the milk mix – I don’t think you’ll get any complaints!

You can make the batter ahead of time – it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.  Uneaten pancakes and waffles can be refrigerated or frozen and reheated in the toaster.

Waffle & Pancake Batter:

Serves 4, generously

Dry mix:

  • 1 cup / 125g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1tbsp caster or icing sugar
  • ½ tsp fine salt

Wet mix:

  • 30g butter, melted & cooled slightly
  • Pancake:  175ml milk + 1 egg
  • Waffle: 150ml milk + 2 eggs
  • 1tsp vanilla

 

METHOD:

  1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a good-sized bowl
  2. Melt the butter and cool slightly
  3. Measure the milk into a jug and add the vanilla
  4. Separate the eggs; put the whites into a clean, grease-free bowl and add the yolks to the milk (if you want to skip whisking the whites, just add the eggs whole to the milk)
  5. Make a well in the dry mix and slowly whisk in the milk, followed by the melted butter. (Alternatively, you can whizz all the ingredients together with a blender or stick blender)
  6. Whisk the egg white to soft peaks, then gently fold this into the batter
  7. To make waffles, heat your waffle iron following the manufacturer’s instructions and brush with a little oil or butter. Cook according to the machine’s instructions – usually for about 5-6 minutes until the waffles are golden brown and crisp.
  8. To make pancakes, heat a flat griddle or frying pan over a medium heat. Wipe the pan with a little butter or oil, then plop tablespoons of the batter onto the pan spaced well apart.  When bubbles start to appear, carefully flip them and cook until golden brown and cooked through

Let me know how you get on with these!

And get in touch if you’d like to chat about catering for an upcoming event.

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