Light lemony pancakes

One of the many good things about Moore Wilson is their little stacks of free recipes. Ages ago I picked up one for Lemon Cottage Cheese Pancakes. At home I stowed it neatly away and forgot about it, but a fortnight ago I came across it again, and decided to liven up Queen's Birthday by trying it out on a willing friend for brunch.
      I always wonder if people like the Queen ever get to indulge in such simple pleasures. Does she just stick to the same routine, or does she ask her kitchen staff to surprise her with something new? Somehow I don't get the impression that she's terribly interested in food anyway. I learnt very early on that her actual birthday is 21 April, because that was Mum's birthday too.
       Anyway, the recipe worked so well that I made it again today for my neighbour, who told me she loved pancakes and hadn't had them for years. This time I made bigger ones, but that wasn't quite as successful - a large hotcake size seems best.

Lemon cottage cheese pancakes
 (Moore Wilson)
Makes 6 smallish pancakes, really only enough for 2 people. Double it for 4.

3 large eggs
1/4 cup self-raising flour
3/4 cup plain cottage cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
Butter for cooking (the recipe doesn't say this, but I think it cooks and tastes better with a little butter)

Set the oven on 75 degrees or the warm setting, and put in two large plates.

Separate the eggs, putting the whites into a large bowl and the yolks into another large bowl.
Mix the yolks together with the flour, cottage cheese, butter, sugar, salt and lemon zest until well blended. (Don't over-mix it - the little lumps of cottage cheese are fine.)

Beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Fold the whites gently through the yolk mixture.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a lump of butter, enough to lightly coat the pan.
Pour 3 large hotcake size dollops of batter into pan, keeping them separate.

Cook gently for about a minute and a half. When little bubbles rise through and the pancakes are nicely browned underneath (lift a corner to see), flip them over and cook the other side.

Place the cooked pancakes in the oven on a warmed plate. Cook 3 more.
Serve with your choice of:
crispy bacon, runny honey, maple syrup, lemon juice, cream, yoghurt (or a whipped mix of both), poached fruit. I had ready a mix of rhubarb, feijoa and pear, cooked with brown sugar and a little lemon syrup.

As you can see, I just managed to get a photo before they started to be eaten. Both my visitors went on at gratifying length about how light and delicious these were. They're a kind of cross between a traditional pancake and a really good pikelet, but the cottage cheese and lemon add something special. Maybe I'll try to invent a savoury version...

Pretty good pancakes

Pancakes are one of those magic creations that use only a few simple ingredients - flour, eggs, milk, butter. But I'm a newcomer to making them. This is because Harvey used to always be the one who made them, and he was very good at it.
         When he had to stop, for ages he didn't feel like anything brunchy, but lately he's had the urge for mid-morning Saturday pancakes again, which is great. So I've been making them under his guidance. Only that sounds much tidier than what really happened the first time I had a go.
           First I asked where the recipe was. "I just use the Edmond's one", he said. So I got it out and showed it to him, because I've learnt from long experience that he doesn't often follow a recipe exactly. Sure enough, he used self-raising flour instead of flour and baking powder, he always used two eggs, and he added "a bit of melted butter". How much, I asked. "Just a bit." Gritting my teeth, I cut off a lump about the size of a walnut and showed it to him. Yes, he said, that was about right.
            I mixed it all together. "Don't mix it too much", he said. "But you said it had to be a really smooth batter." "Yes, but the lumps disappear while you leave it to stand." "It doesn't say anything about leaving it to stand." "Well, I always do." :How long for?" "Oh, about half an hour."
            I didn't say a word. I just went off and made myself some toast and peanut butter to keep me going while I waited.
            Fortunately we've now got a big Tefal non-stick pan which keeps an even heat and makes really good ones, even on a gas hob. So after the half hour was up I heated it up and got to work. I had to make two different kinds of pancake, because we've always disagreed about how they should be - Harvey likes one giant thickish one, I like two or three thin ones. We both have lemon juice on them, but he likes white sugar, whereas I prefer golden syrup or brown sugar.

            I actually managed to toss them all beautifully - even Harvey was impressed.

Harvey's pancakes (enough for 4 thin ones or 2 big thick ones)
125 grams self-raising flour (it does work better if you weigh rather than measure - this is about one cup plus a heaped tablespoon)
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
300 ml (half a pint) milk
Walnut-sized knob of butter, melted
Butter for cooking

Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and drop the eggs in, then add milk, and mix gently to make a thin batter. Add melted knob of butter and mix in well. Pour into a jug and leave to stand for half an hour. Meanwhile, get the toppings ready and have the plates ready to warm just before you start cooking.

Heat non-stick pan until hot. Melt a little butter in it, pushing it over the bottom with a non-stick slice. Pour in a little batter and tip the pan to let it flow evenly out to the edges. (If you want a thick one pour in more to start with.) Cook over medium heat until several little bubbles form over the surface. Loosen around the edges with the slice and flip it over - tossing is the easiest way to do this. Turn the heat down a little and cook the other side until it looks a bit brown when you lift the edges. Put on a hot plate, spread with whatever you fancy, roll it up and eat it. Repeat until the batter's all gone.