Foolproof Vegan English Pancakes. Quick & easy to make & great for dessert or brunch! They are beautifully freckled and so good straight from the pan, served glistening with fresh lemon juice & sugar.
210g / 1½cupall purpose flour, plain flour in the UK
¼teaspoonsalt
¾teaspoonbaking powder
9tablespoonsaquafaba, (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
420mls / 1¾cupsmilk of choice*
2tablespoonsmild olive oil**, plus extra for frying
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
Add the flour to a large mixing bowl along with the salt and baking powder. Mix to combine them.
Add the aquafaba, oil and vanilla to the bowl, then gradually add the milk whisking as you go to work out any lumps (a few little tiny ones won't hurt). Once all the milk has been added and the batter is smooth, set aside and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes. DO NOT use a blender to mix the batter. Over-mixing will affect the texture of the pancakes.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan or crepe pan (mine is 10 inches wide - if you use a smaller one you will get more pancakes, a larger one a few less) over a medium high heat until very hot, then add a drop of oil and swirl it around the pan to coat. The better your pan the less oil you can get away with using.
Pour into the middle of the pan, enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan. I have a large frying pan and needed just less than ½ a cup. You need to do this quickly, then lift the pan off the heat and swirl it so the batter coats the entire bottom of the pan.
Leave the pancake to cook for between 30 seconds to a minute. Turn back a little outside edge to look under and flip or turn it when lots of nice brown spots have appeared. Cook for a further 30 seconds to a minute until that side is spotty too then remove from the pan.Please note that it is completely normal for the first pancake of the batch to be a bit of a flop. It never turns out as well as the rest. Its job is to season the pan and it is compulsory for the chef to stuff their face with it while they cook the rest of the pancakes ;O)
Repeat until all of the batter is used. If your pan isn't a great one like mine you will need to add a tiny drop of oil before cooking each one. I wipe the oil around my pan carefully with a piece of kitchen paper (be sure not to burn your fingers).
You can feed the pancakes to the waiting hoards as you cook them, or you can keep a plate in a very low oven and place each pancake in there as they are cooked so they keep warm until you are all done.
Notes
*Almond milk has a strong flavour which comes through in the batter so I wouldn't recommend using it in this recipe. I tend to use either soy milk or cashew milk. **Any other mildly flavoured liquid oil will work. Vegetable, sunflower or canola oil would all be suitable choices. DO NOT use Extra Virgin Olive Oil because the flavour is way too strong. These Vegan English Pancake freeze very well. Layer them up with a piece of parchment paper between each one and slide them into a freezer bag. Defrost when you need them again and warm each one quickly on each side in a frying pan or in a microwave for a few seconds. I recommend serving these pancakes quite simply with fresh lemon juice and sugar. They are at their very best like that and it is my favourite way to eat them. My son’s favourite way to eat them is with jam spread all over them then rolled up. You could also fill them with fresh fruit, chocolate spread, banana and chocolate, coconut cream or drizzle them with maple syrup. You can even omit the vanilla from my recipe and use savoury fillings. I’ve even been known to make a lasagne type dish with them instead of pasta sheets. Use your imagination and have fun!________________________________________________________DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? If you did, be a ☆ and let me know what you think by rating it and commenting below. Tag me on Instagram too. I am @avirtualvegan and my hashtag is #avirtualvegan________________________________________________________