Eggs, milk, flour, a dash of oil and a pinch of salt: there you have it. The main players you need for the perfect pancake.
The simplest meal you can make in the kitchen, pancakes are a breakfast and brunch staple; adored by tots, ‘Grammed by teens and devoured by everyone else. They can be made sweet or savoury and eaten for any meal, but the time of year that they really shine is Shrove Tuesday.
This year, Shrove Tuesday falls on February 13 - incidentally also Galentine’s Day. The pancake tradition came from a time when folks would use up the last of their store cupboard essentials before Lent gets underway, a period of restriction for Christians.
On Shrove Tuesday, kitchens and newsfeeds alike burst into action as everyone competes to create towering stacks and show off the most impressive flipping technique. While the ingredients to a basic pancake are rudimentary, if you want to try something different, pre-made pancake mixes can help you go the extra mile.
When it comes to pancakes, many countries have their own take.
While ours tends to be a thin layer finished with a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle of sugar, the Americans favour mattress-thick buttermilk iterations glistening with syrup. They’re second only to Japan's souffle-like pancakes, light and airy yet impossibly thick. Meanwhile, in south India, paper-thin crepes are wrapped around a savoury and dry potato curry to make a delicious dish called masala dosa.
For those who want to keep things simpler, why not experiment with shaped pancakes? Kids will adore animal versions you can make with the help of a pourer, while for adults, Tefal and Bonne Maman have collaborated on a heart-shaped non-stick frying pan (pictured above - £12.66, Argos).
If you fancy thinking outside of the pancake box this Shrove Tuesday and beyond, we’ve found the best pre-made mixes for unusual stacks.
See our top picks below
Bisquick Pancake & Baking Mix 567g
If you’re dreaming of thick and deeply comforting US-style pancakes who better than one of America’s biggest home-baking brands to give you a hand?
Betty Crocker’s Original Bisquick Pancake & Baking Mix whips up homely hot cakes in an instant. Just add milk and an egg for light and fluffy pancakes. Add a healthy glug of pancake syrup for good measure.
You’ll get two packs in this purchase, meaning you can keep an extra one handy for future pancake cravings.
Buy now £13.99, Amazon
Aunt Bessie's American Style Pancake & Waffle
For those who favour a heavier pancake - all the better to soak in syrup - Aunt Bessie's American Style Pancake & Waffle mix won't disappoint. Enjoy it like our friends across the Atlantic and top wth bacon and lashings of maple syrup or make it dessert with a scoop or two of ice cream.
Buy now £6.50, Amazon
The Skinny Food Co Low Sugar Pancake Mix - 150g
Pancakes have a negative connotation with being unhealthy, but it doesn't have to be so. The Skinny Food Co has this mix that's low on sugar, and when paired with its zero-sugar syrups and sauces, can be a treat that won't throw your fitness goals out of kilter.
Buy now £2.99, The Skinny Food Co
The Little Pancake Company Three Month Pancake of the Month Subscription Food Gift
Know a die-hard pancake fan? This gift is made for someone who’s flipping mad about hot cakes year-round. Here’s the deal: a three month subscription service from The Little Pancake Company sees a gourmet American-style pancake mix delivered to their door, every month. They may be pancakes but give them as a gift and you’ll score serious brownie points.
Buy now £45.00, NOTHS
Quick Crepes Crepe Mix
Forget Emily in Paris, feel like you’re breakfasting in the city of lights yourself with this kit which brings the famous French pancake to your kitchen. The 1kg packet will make around 48 delicious crepes - perfect if you’re hosting a party - and all you need to make the batter is water.
Buy now £12.99, Amazon
Bulk Protein Pancake Mix 500g
You can get in on the action without wrecking your health goals. Bulk’s veggie Protein Pancake Mix is ideal for gym obsessives craving a quick and easy sweet fix - it comes in lemon zest, maple syrup and original flavours. If you’re trying to be good, skip the syrup and top with yogurt and fruit instead.
Buy now £11.89, Bulk
Gits Dosa Mix, 500g
Just want straight-up dosa mix? Indian company Gits kit has enough dry mix to whip up 20 plain dosas - just add water, no eggs required. Best eaten rolled and dunked into savoury sambhar and coconut chutney this is one to make if you’re hosting a full-blown pancake party.
Buy now £5.98, Amazon
Fortnums The Pancake Breakfast Box
Fancy going all out? Expect the finest fare in Fortnum's Pancake Breakfast Box. The royal grocer has simple ingredients at their very best here, from high-quality Wildfarmed White Flour and Cacklebean Eggs to make the pancakes to gourmet toppings: think free-range bacon, Royal Botanical Gardens Morello Cherry Compote and Late Harvest Maple Syrup.
There are thing to wash it all down too, from Indian ground cofeee to Breakfast Blend tea and pressed apple juice. A fun gift or extra special treat to enjoy with the whole family.
Buy now £75.00, F&M
DabbaDrop Make-At-Home Dosa Kit
The food delivery service specialises in doorstep drops of freshly-made curries, rotis and more in Indian-style steel dabbas (boxes). London’s dabbawalas also offer a Subcontinental twist for pancake day with a Make-At-Home Dosa Kit.
Inside the Chennai cloth-bound box you’ll find glass jars of dry gluten free dosa mix which can make around 18 crispy dosa once you add water, as well as a ladle to help you spoon the right amount into a screaming hot pan. Also included is a jar of Ginger Jam and crunchy Gunpowder sprinkles.
These are just the dosa basics, but if you want a more substantial meal DubbaDrop also includes a recipe card for aloo masala with ingredients you can find in any supermarket.
Buy now £22.00, DabbaDrop
Otafuku Okonomiyaki Making Set
Not all pancakes need to be sweet. Take your cues from Japan and attempt an Okonomiyaki this Shrove Tuesday, made all the easier with this kit from Sushi Sushi. It has everything you need to whip up the thick pancakes, but you should add fresh toppings (think cabbage, bacon shards, spring onions and Okonomiyaki sauce) to really make a meal of it.
Buy now £4.75, Sushi Sushi
