Our Barnutopia English breakfast with original recipe pancakes is a very popular choice from our dining menu with children and adults alike. Honed over many years living in several different countries, our pancakes are sugar-free and contain ground flax and oatmeal. They are delicious with sweet or savoury toppings.
Ingredients for Pancake Breakfast
Makes 30-40 small pancakes.
- 60 g (4 oz) white flour
- 60 g (4 oz) wholemeal flour
- 60 g (2 oz) oatmeal
- 30 g (1 oz) ground flax
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 medium eggs
- 500 ml (half pint approx) milk AND MORE as needed
Dietary Variations on Recipe
- Substitute rice four for the white and wholemeal flour for a wheat-free version.
- For vegan, use 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil instead of each egg and plant-based milk instead of cow’s milk. I usually add a little bit of sugar to vegan pancakes as it helps them to brown a little.
Add all ingredients to bowl and whisk with sturdy hand whisk. Start with 250 ml milk but add as needed and keep mixing to a smooth, fairly runny, consistency. If you would like thicker pancakes, add a little more baking powder and less milk so the mixture is thicker. Leave to sit for at least 30 minutes.
Cooking the Pancakes
I have cooked a pancake breakfast at least once a week for the last 25 years. I used to use a cast iron frying pan(s) and could stand at the cooker for an hour when feeding my children and all their friends. Investment in an extra-long non-stick teppanyake grill changed my life.
Cast Iron Frying Pan
Heat a cast frying pan over high heat until it’s hot, then turn it down to about two-thirds of the full setting. Spread a little butter on the cooking surface and allow to melt. Using a ladle, ladle the pancake mix into the pan. I have a ladel and spatula that I always use for pancakes. The ladel is just the right size for the pancakes I want to cook and the spatula is broad and makes flipping easy. I never (even when using my cast iron pan) have a disastrous first pancake. Cook the pancakes for a few minutes on either side until golden brown. Make sure they cook through. There’s nothing worse than a soggy pancake.
Even with 3 pans it would take me a long time to cook the quantities of pancakes needed. Moreover, it gets very hot standing over a cooker for an hour at a time.
Teppanyake Grill
Heat up on maximum heat. Spread a little butter or vegetable oil on the surface. Quickly ladle pancakes onto the cooking surface (I can get 5 large in a row or 8-10 small pancakes staggered) and cook for a few minutes on either side. Takes about fifteen minutes to cook 15 to 20 pancakes. RESULT!
Pancake Breakfast Toppings
Use your imagination! Typically, we provide the following selection of toppings.
- Lemon & sugar
- Maple syrup
- Golden syrup
- Butterscotch syrup
- Chocolate syrup
- Strawberry syrup
- Honey
Our pancakes are delicious with bacon and scrambled eggs on the side and, as they don’t contain sugar, may be used in savoury dishes. I use them as an alternative to pasta for lasagne and this works very well.