Pancakes, anyone? Yes, always! To celebrate Pancake Day – also called Shrove Tuesday – we are giving you some failproof ways to make the perfect pancake. 

But first: What is Shrove Tuesday?
Shrove Tuesday, as it is known to many Christians, takes place the day before Ash Wednesday, 47 days before Easter. It is meant to be a feast where households, traditionally, use their last eggs and fats before Lent season (the 40 days used for fasting before Easter). 

Here are handy tips you’ve been waiting for!  

Use all-purpose flour
All-purpose flour (in other words, cake flour) creates thinner pancakes. If you use self-raising flour, your batter will be thicker. Self-raising flour works best for making those thick, fluffy American-style pancakes. 

Check the heat of the pan
Do you like your pancakes soft or slightly crispy? For crispy edges, set your stove to high heat before you add the batter to your pan. Fry them on medium heat for a softer finish. The general rule is to have your pan so hot that water droplets will skip the surface when you sprinkle them in.  

Once the pan is hot enough, pour and spread the layer of batter as thin as possible to get lacy edges. The first pancake is almost always a flop – ignore that nasty bugger. 

Oil or butter?
Although butter adds a delicious taste to your pancakes, it browns too quickly in the pan. Use a fat with a high smoke point, like canola oil. You can also try coconut oil, which gives a lovely, sweet taste to your batter. 

Don’t overmix your batter
Try not to over-mix your batter, as it can leave you with a tough leathery pancake. A great way to prevent overmixing is to blend the dry ingredients together; form a well in the middle, then pour in the wet ingredients a little at a time until everything is mixed well.