Ingredients
- 90g plain white flour
- A pinch of sea salt
- 2 rounded tsp baking powder sieved
- 1 teaspoon demerara sugar
- 2 eggs
- 100ml milk
- 40g butter, melted and cooled
- Butter for cooking (preferably use clarified butter)
- 6 rashers dry-cured bacon
- 6 rashers unsmoked bacon
- A little jug of homemade apple syrup or maple syrup, to serve
- Oregano flower, sweet cicely or any seasonal herb, optional garnish
For the apple syrup
- 3 tablespoons water
- 200g caster sugar
- 350ml Irish farm pressed apple juice (e.g. Attyflin Estate or Ballyhoura Apple Farm)
Directions
- Add the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl and then mix in the sugar and blend thoroughly with a whisk.
- Beat the eggs lightly, add the milk and beat until blended (about 30 seconds). Add the eggs and milk to the dry ingredients and gently mix to combine, being careful not to overmix.
- Lastly, add the melted cooled butter. In a large heavy-based frying pan lightly grease with 1 teaspoon butter over a medium-high heat until it sizzles (be careful that the butter does not burn, if it burns do not use).
- Using a dessert spoon, dollop spoons of the mixture into the pan, allowing a little space for the mixture to spread.
- Cook until the pancakes start to rise and bubbles appear on the surface for about 3-4 minutes, then quickly flip over and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the pancakes are cooked through. They will need longer if the batter is thick and has been left overnight in the fridge.
- Add 1 teaspoon butter to the centre of the pan again, turn once more briefly, then turn out onto a hot plate.
- While the pancakes are cooking, heat a griddle pan over a high heat and lightly grease with a little oil. When the pan is hot, add the bacon rashers and fry for 1 minute on either side until golden brown.
- Serve the pancakes with bacon and a small jug of homemade apple syrup or maple syrup.
To make the apple syrup - Add the sugar and water to a heavy-based stainless steel saucepan and whisk continuously over a medium heat to dissolve the sugar.
- Turn up the heat and do not stir again, allowing the sugar to caramelise by swilling the pan over the heat. The edges will colour first – when a lovely golden colour all over, remove from the heat.
- Gradually pour in the apple juice, being very careful with your hands and face as it will splutter and splash. Place the pan back over a high heat and swill to combine the juice with the caramel which will be partly solidified.
- Continue to swill on the high heat until all is combined and then boil for until a syrupy consistency for approximately 6-8 minutes. If adding brandy reduce to a thicker syrup.
- Remove from the heat. Cool and store in sterilised bottles for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Recipe taken from My Wild Atlantic Kitchen, Recipes and Recollections by Maura O’Connell Foley
