Ren Behan - Author Wild Honey and Rye

Food Writer

Pancake Ideas

Roasted Rhubarb and Ginger Curd Pancakes

It’s Pancake Day! Whilst today may be the perfect day to indulge, for the folks over at Abra-ca-Debora, everyday is Pancake Day! I was so pleased to see that my giveaway for an Abra-ca-Debora Pancake Day Hamper, filled to brim with goodies was so popular – thank you to everyone who entered to win. The winner has been announced on the giveaway post. I also received a hamper for review and couldn’t wait to try some of the pancakes and sweet treats buried within. For the grown-ups, I made some Maple Syrup Roasted Rhubarb and Ginger Curd Pancakes. I used the Abra-ca-Deborah Sweet Dutch Pancakes, along with some in-season British rhubarb and some of the luxury ginger curd within the hamper, made by The English Provender Co. If you can’t get your hands on any of the curd, some sweet lemon curd would work well, too, or simply a good splash of Maple syrup or honey.

Rhubarb and Ginger Curd Pancake

The Diddy Dutch Pancakes were another story altogether! They were a huge hit with my kids, who gave them a big thumbs up! They are firmly on our menu for tonight. The Diddy pancakes are perfect size for little fingers to pick up and dip into some tasty pots; we tried melted chocolate, lemon curd, fruity coulis and some warmed maple syrup.

Abra Ca DeboraThe Diddy pancakes can be warmed in the oven or just in the microwave for a few minutes, they are also quite sweet as a special little lunch box snack.

Diddy PancakesSo. along with our Blueberry and Vanilla Cheesecake Pancakes, we’re in for quite a treat tonight. For a savoury treat, I’d recommend my Creamy Spinach and Chicken Pancakes, as featured on the Abra-ca-Debora website. Some of the most popular answers in the giveaway as to your favourite toppings included –

  • Classic lemon and sugar or golden syrup
  • Baked cinnamon apples
  • Banana and chocolate spread or Nutella
  • Fruit, such as strawberries and blueberries with cream
  • And one of the most intruiging suggestions by Adam; cream cheese and chestnut puree with sour cream

I wonder whether any of these toppings or one of my recipes will take your fancy?!

My Roasted Rhubarb and Ginger Curd Pancakes are my entry into this month’s Simple and in Season, now open for March. Please do link up your seasonal recipes, too.

Simple and in Season

Rhubarb and Ginger Pancakes

Here’s the rhubarb and ginger curd recipe –

Rhubarb and Ginger Pancakes

1 vote

Print

Roasted Rhubarb and Ginger Curd Pancakes

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 6

Dutch pancakes topped with roasted seasonal rhubarb, a splash of maple syrup and a light touch of ginger curd

Ingredients

  • 6 x Abra-ca-Debora or other pancakes or crepes
  • 400g rhubarb, sliced into small pieces
  • 50ml maple syrup (plus extra for drizzling)
  • 2-3 tsp ginger or lemon curd
  • A little extra thick double cream, optional, to serve

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C/gas 5. Place the washed and chopped rhubarb pieces into a baking tray and drizzle with maple syrup. Bake in the oven for fifteen minutes, until just soft.
  2. Warm the pancakes and spread a little ginger or lemon curd onto each pancake. Top with the warm roasted rhubarb, an extra drizzle of maple syrup and some thick double cream. Eat straight away.

Courses Dessert

Cuisine British

With many thanks to Abra-ca-Debora for sending me a hamper to review and also for providing a second hamper as a giveaway prize. I was not expected to write a positive post, nor was I paid to do so. 

Happy Pancake Day!

Giveaway: Abra-ca-Debora Pancake Day Hamper

It’s been a little while since I’ve hosted a giveaway, this is the first one of the year, in fact. I managed to miss out on offering anything over Valentine’s Day, so instead I’ve got a lovely hamper full of Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day goodies for one of you to feast on. Pancake Day falls on Tuesday 4th March this year. I really do appreciate all of the comments and support I receive on this blog, and so a giveaway is a nice way of saying thank you.

abra-ca-deboraIt’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since I last mentioned  Abra-Ca-Debora pancakes, when I created a tasty Cream Chicken and Spinach Savoury Dutch Pancake recipe, which was also featured on the recipe section of the Abra-Ca-Debora website.  Although it isn’t hard to whisk up a quick batch of pancakes batter, sometimes it is nice to be able to put together a really quick snack for the children after school using Abra-Ca-Debora pancakes and they also make a handy pudding or sweet snack, too.

Pancakes

I’m sure I’ll be coming up with some new ideas for tasty pancake filling again this year. If you missed them last year, do give my Polish Sweet Cream Cheese Pancakes a go, they taste almost like having a pancakes crossed with a warm cheesecake.

Polish-Pancakes

Here’s how to enter the giveaway –
a Rafflecopter giveaway

With many thanks to Abra-ca-Debora for offering this hamper as a giveaway prize. This giveaway is open until 4th March 2014. Good luck!

For more pancake day inspiration follow @Abra_ca_Debora on Twitter

 

Happy Pancake Day – Exciting Pancake Ideas!

Chocolate Banana Pancakes

Happy Pancake Day! Today is Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Tuesday, the day we get to use up all the bad things in our cupboards and really make the most of it before lent. Dependening on where you are, you might also be celebrating Mardi Gras, and there are a whole host of other carnival activities taking place all over the world. I got a head start yesterday with my Polish pancakes. Today I’m making both savoury and sweet pancakes for tea. Tomorrow, I get to do it all again as my sister is coming to visit and my niece requested pancakes, too. So my Lenten penitence will begin on Thursday!

My posh Polish pancakes for a final Food Styling project at Leiths School of Food and Wine.

The recipe is here. This photo was taken by Stuart Ovenden.

How to Make Pancakes

A really simple pancake mix is 100g plain flour, 2 whole eggs and 300ml semi-skimmed milk. Optional extras – a pinch of salt for savoury pancakes. A pinch of sugar for sweet pancakes. A little lemon zest or cinnamon for an extra flavour hit. The trick is to make up your batter well in advance and leave it in the fridge. When you are ready to start flipping, take some melted butter and/or a plain vegetable oil (you can use a combination of both) and swirl it round your (preferably non-stick) pan. Then, take a piece of kitchen roll and wipe away any excess, so you are just left with a little layer of oil in your pan. Heat the pan until it gets quite hot, take a ladle and pour some of the batter mixture on, about half a cupful. Swirl it round the pan, leave it to set and cook and then when it starts to come away from the edge of the pan and look a little crispy – flip it over! Cook on the other side for another minute or two and then transfer onto a warm plate while you make the rest. Repeat the same process with a little melted butter and oil each time, wiping away any excess with kitchen roll.

If you eat pancakes often, you can also make a big make-ahead batch of this mix, by Vanessa Kimbell. Then store the dry mix in the cupboard for future use.

Chocolate Banana Pancakes

Banana Chocolate Pancakes – Oh, go on, then!

Savoury Pancakes

A little while ago, I devised a recipe for some savoury pancakes for a Dutch pancake company called Abra-Ca-Debora. Happily, they liked my recipe so much that they made it themselves to share on their website. Pop over to see my recipe for Creamy Chicken and Spinach Savoury Dutch Pancakes here.

Pancakes with Chicken and Spinach

Other savoury ideas – I love filling my pancakes with a mixture of wild mushrooms, garlic and cream. Simply chop one shallot or small onion along with one garlic clove. Gently cook in a pan with a teaspoon of butter and olive oil, add some mixed mushrooms, around 125g, and cook for a few minutes before adding a squeeze of lemon juice, some fresh parsley and a swirl of double cream.

Sweet Pancakes

The children love really simple fillings, such a Nutella, lemon curd, strawberry jam or bananas and chocolate sauce with a scoop of ice cream on top. Or, you could try my Warm Banana and Maple Syrup Pancakes with Cinnamon Cream. My three year old has just requested Spaghetti Hoops and Nutella – that could be interesting!

In case you missed them, here are my Polish Pancakes with Sweet Cream Cheese, topped with fresh strawberries.

Polish Pancakes

Further afield, I’ve spotted these stunning pancakes from Emma at Poires Au Chocolat – Pancakes with Lemon & Thyme Sugar – a really lovely twist on a classic.

pancake1_Emma_Poires_Chocolat

Photo Credit – With Permission Emma Gardner Poires Au Chocolat

Or, you could try this amazing German speciality called Quarkkeulchen by Meeta at What’s For Lunch, Honey (who I am hugely excited to be meeting this weekend!) Meeta serves her Quarkkeulchen with Cranberries and a Cinnamon Blueberry Compote – the fruit compote sounds delicious in itself and I would be so intrigued to try these pancakes made with mashed potatoes, Quark cream cheese and cinnamon.

Quarkkeulechen with Cranberries (0140) by Meeta K. Wolff

Photo Credit – With Permission Meeta K Wolff, What’s For Lunch, Honey?

Sarah, at Maison Cupcake has also blogged 13 Fabulous Pancake Ideas for Baby Centre – including my savoury pancakes – thank you Sarah!

And finally, if you are celebrating Mardi Gras, I love these really beautiful King Cake Cookies with with Praline Pecan from Bakes Bree – I am off to find some blue sprinkles as they are gorgeous.    

So, wherever you are, whatever you are eating and/or celebrating – enjoy!!