So much more than just lemon and sugar

The simple combination of plain flour, milk and eggs can lead to sheer magic in the kitchen, yet a new study says many of us will shun pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. Diana Pilkington reports

It's a tradition that dates back centuries, but it seems the custom of whipping up a batch of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday has fallen rather flat.

According to research by Lyle's Golden Syrup, just half of Britons will be getting out the frying pans on Tuesday – a drop of 25 per cent compared with ten years ago.

And a quarter of those surveyed were clueless about how to make a simple pancake batter from scratch.

The reasons given ranged from "can't be bothered" to fretting that the dish takes "too much time and effort".

Of course, the word "pancake" can refer to a variety of creations from around the world – whether it's the thin English kind traditionally served with lemon and sugar, a stack of fluffy American ones topped with blueberries or maple syrup, or a lacy French crepe smothered in chocolate hazelnut spread.

And when it comes to toppings, pretty much anything goes, so there are few excuses not to give those flipping skills a whirl!

Try these tips from British Lion Eggs for making the perfect pancake:

You need a good non-stick pan, preferably heavy, and to cook the pancakes properly it needs to be hot. The first pancake rarely works and can look very untidy but tastes good. This is known as the cook's treat!

If you are not confident at tossing the pancakes, just use a spatula to turn them over.

Some say leaving the batter to rest before use improves it – if you have time, brilliant, but it's not essential.

If there happen to be any leftover pancakes, leave covered in the fridge and just heat gently for a few seconds in a hot pan before serving.

Tired of lemon and sugar? On this page are some recipes celebrating regional ingredients and pancake varieties from around the UK.

For more recipes, visit www.eggrecipes.co.uk

LANCASHIRE CHEESE AND BACON PANCAKES

(Serves four)

75g plain flour

A pinch of salt

Two large British Lion eggs

150ml milk

A little oil for frying

For the filling:

50g Lancashire cheese, grated

6 rashers of smoked back bacon

100ml half fat soured cream

2tbsp chives, snipped

First make the pancakes: Place the flour, salt and eggs in a large bowl with half the milk. Whisk until the mixture is lump-free. Add the remaining milk and whisk again until smooth. If you prefer, place all the ingredients together in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the batter into a jug. The batter can be made in advance and chilled for up to 8 hours before use.

Heat a 20cm diameter non-stick frying pan until hot, drizzle a little oil over the centre and wipe it around with a piece of kitchen paper. Now pour a little of the batter into the pan and immediately tilt the pan to spread the batter thinly and evenly over the base. Cook for 2 minutes or until the top is set and the base golden. Turn the pancake over with a spatula or, if you are feeling brave, flip the pancake.

Cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until the base is golden. Transfer to a plate and interleave with greaseproof paper then keep warm. Use the batter and a little more oil to make a further 7 pancakes in the same way.

For the filling: grill the bacon for about 8 minutes, turning once until it is crisp on both sides. Snip into thin pieces.

Take four pancakes and divide the bacon pieces between them, along the centre of each, with the soured cream and chives and half the cheese. Roll them up and place in a heatproof dish. Scatter the remaining cheese over the top and pop under the grill for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and golden. Serve hot, scattered with chives if liked. Eat the remaining pancakes simply with caster sugar and lemon.

YORKSHIRE RHUBARB PANCAKES

(Serves 4)

75g plain flour

A pinch of salt

Two large British Lion eggs

150ml milk

A little oil for frying

For the Filling:

500g pink rhubarb

75g caster sugar

Vanilla ice cream, to serve

First make the filling: Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas Mark 6. Trim the rhubarb then cut it into 5cm-long pieces. Place in an ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle over the sugar. Cover with foil then bake for 15 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender. Leave to cool slightly.

Next make the pancakes: Place the flour, salt and eggs in a large bowl with half the milk. Whisk until the mixture is lump-free. Add the remaining milk and whisk again until smooth. If you prefer, place all the ingredients together in a food processor and blend until smooth, pour the batter into a jug. The batter can be made in advance and chilled for up to 8 hours before use.

Heat a 20cm diameter non-stick frying pan until hot, drizzle a little oil over the centre and wipe it around with a piece of kitchen paper. Now pour a little of the batter into the pan and immediately tilt the pan to spread the batter thinly and evenly over the base. Cook for 2 minutes or until the top is set and the base golden. Turn the pancake over with a spatula or if you are feeling brave, flip the pancake.

Cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until the base is golden. Transfer to a plate and interleave with greaseproof paper, keep warm. Use the batter and a little more oil to make a further seven pancakes in the same way.

Divide the warm rhubarb between the pancakes and serve with vanilla ice cream.

CREMPOG (WELSH PANCAKES)

(Makes 10)

250g plain flour

50g caster sugar

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

A pinch of salt

Two large British Lion eggs

284ml buttermilk

1tbsp lemon juice

75g raisins

Caster sugar, to serve

Sift the flour, caster sugar, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Beat together the buttermilk, eggs and then add to the dry ingredients with the lemon juice. Leave the mixture to stand for 10 minutes.

Heat a flat griddle or frying pan, brush the surface with a little oil, then drop tablespoons of the mixture, well apart, onto the griddle pan – about three can be cooked at a time. Sprinkle a few raisins in the centre of each pancake. Cook over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until bubbles begin to form on the surface, and the base is golden.

Flip over and cook for a further few minutes until the base is golden. Remove from the pan and keep warm in a clean tea towel. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make about 10 pancakes in total. Serve warm with a sprinkling of caster sugar.