John Torode revealed the one simple trick he uses to make sure his pancakes are perfect every time – and it’s incredibly easy for anyone to try at home
MasterChef’s John Torode has dished out his top tips for creating the ultimate pancakes on Pancake Day. Gracing the set of This Morning with hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, the culinary whizz gave a step-by-step guide to achieving pancake perfection.
While whipping up his signature crepe pancakes, John let slip the key to nailing them every time. He reminisced about his early days in the kitchen, saying: “The reason I know about these crepes is when I was an apprentice at the age of 17, this was my first job everyday in the kitchen. 48 every single day.”
He shared that during the start of his career, he made pancakes daily for around two years, reports the Express. His first piece of advice was to let the pancake batter rest, explaining: “The reason you let it rest is because the flour has to be absorbed. If you try and cook them straight away, they actually become too thin.”
But the real game-changer, according to John, is using a piece of kitchen towel dabbed in oil rather than pouring oil directly into the pan. He recommended: “Light olive oil is fine, veg oil, that’s fine.”
He stressed the importance of this method to prevent the pancakes from frying and turning into something like to a Yorkshire pudding. Finally, he demonstrated how to pour and swirl the batter in the pan for a perfectly even crepe, noting that it’s time to flip when the edges start to curl.
Ensure your pan is on a low heat. John also whipped up his version of the classic thick American-style pancakes.
John Torode’s Crêpe Pancakes
Makes: six to eight
Ingredients
For the pancakes
- 3 eggs
- 150ml milk
- 100g flour
- A pinch salt
- Oil to grease the pan and 1tsp for the recipe
To serve
Method
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth, strain through a sieve and leave to sit for five minutes. Warm a frying pan and carefully use a piece of kitchen towel to rub on a little oil.
Use a small ladle to pour a little crêpe mix into the centre and gently turn the frying pan around to completely coat the base of the pan.
Cook until the underside of the pancake has coloured, then gently lift the pancake and turn over to cook the other side of the pancake until golden. Remove from the pan straight away and stack on an upside down plate.
Serve with lemon juice and sugar.
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