Buttermilk Pancakes | Daily Mail Online

In the summer, fresh berries will make a delicious alternative to the compote.

SERVES 4

TIME 50 minutes

125g unsalted butter

450g self-raising flour

1 tbsp baking powder

170g caster sugar

3 large eggs

560ml buttermilk

rapeseed oil, for greasing

TO SERVE

16 rashers good-quality dry-cured streaky bacon

4 tbsp berry compote

4 slices honeycomb butter (see Tip)

good-quality maple syrup, to drizzle

•  Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Place the bacon on a baking tray and cook in the oven until crispy. Place on kitchen paper and set aside.

• While the bacon is cooking, melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Once the bacon is cooked, lower the oven temperature to 120C/100C fan/gas ½ then line another baking tray with parchment.

•  Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, then mix in the sugar and set aside.

•  Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat together, then whisk in the buttermilk until combined. Now, fold the melted butter into the egg mixture using a spatula. Once the butter is incorporated, add the flour mix and gently fold together until you have a thick pancake batter, being careful not to overmix. Set the batter aside for 10 minutes to rest.

•  Place two large nonstick frying pans over a low heat and brush with oil to coat. Once the pans are hot, spoon four generous tablespoons of the pancake batter into each, so you are cooking 8 pancakes. Fry gently for 5-6 minutes, until set and golden on the bottom. Flip them over to cook for a further 4-5 minutes.

•  When they are almost cooked, transfer them to the baking tray and place in the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining 8.

• Stack 4 pancakes on each plate. Put a tablespoon of berry compote on each stack. Crisscross 4 pieces of bacon over the compote, then balance a slice of honeycomb butter on top and drizzle with maple syrup.

Tip For honeycomb butter, line a loaf tin with parchment. Combine 175g caster sugar with 175g golden syrup in a large, deep heavy-based pan. Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to boil for 5-8 minutes, without stirring. Remove from the heat, add 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and quickly stir using a wooden spoon. The mixture will bubble and foam. Pour into the loaf tin to set for 1½ hours. Remove from the tin and smash into bitesize pieces. Add 750g unsalted butter, softened, and mix to combine. Roll into a sausage using parchment and refrigerate until needed.