Many people — especially children — will have enjoyed Pancake Day, the more user-friendly name for Shrove Tuesday. But every year, thousands of litres of the mix ends up being disposed of, normally because we overestimate how much of the batter we actually need to make the wafer-thin sweet delights.
It is estimated that 25 million pancakes are in danger of going to waste this year, so some people have turned to social media outlets to find out what else they can do with all that leftover goo.
Coupon Snake, a coupon and discount deals website, said that it found the word ‘Pancake’ had been entered in searches and viewed on TikTok 5.5 billion times. Further research established that "Pancake Cereal" had 1.6 billion views; "Pancake Quesadillas" had 701.3 million views; and Pancake Spaghetti had 63.4 million views.
The most viewed leftover pancake batter recipes on TikTok:
So the most popular use of leftover pancake ingredients was through making cereal by squeezing drops of batter on a hot, buttered frying pan, and when cooked, flipping the pancakes, so each segment rises and transforms into tiny cereal pieces. Pairing this with syrup, milk or a favourite topping makes for a tasty breakfast.
Quesadillas are made by using the leftover ingredients to make eight thin pancakes, which are then set aside. By placing four of the cooled pancakes in a greased baking dish, topped with shredded cheese, peppers, tomatoes, or other favourite Mexican ingredients and then by placing the remaining four pancakes on top and adding more preferred ingredients, it can be baked for five minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
One of the most creative ways to use up leftover pancake ingredients, according to CouponSnake, is by creating spaghetti. This became a viral trend, with 63.4 million people using their pancake day leftovers for a sweet spaghetti dish.
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It is made by heating a sizable nonstick pan and adding some butter to it. Put the batter into a piping bag and generate thin, spaghetti-like batter strips by poking a tiny hole in the tip of the piping bag, then drag the bag over the pan in a zigzag pattern. Serve after cooking for 20 to 30 seconds on each side.
Another option was offered by TikTok user and health guru @faithsfresh, who suggested pouring the batter into an ice cube tray, topped with favourite fillings, such as fruit or chocolate. Cover the tray and freeze until the batter is firm. For the best results, remove them and fry them on a low heat. What results should be a fluffy pancake.
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