Pancakes (Euro-Style)

 Traditionally, the English eat these pancakes topped with lemon juice and sugar.  But we like to make them savoury for main course (with ham and swiss cheese) and then bundle in our favourite sweet toppings for dessert (strawberries & cream, Nutella & banana, etc.) 

2 beaten eggs

1-1/2 cups milk

1 cup flour (I mixed wholewheat and all-purpose, half and half)

1 Tbsp cooking oil

2 Tbsp sugar (optional)

Combine eggs, milk, flour, oil, and sugar.  Beat till well mixed. 

Heat a 6-inch skillet, then remove from heat and grease with butter.  (I use a silicone pastry brush which is highly heat resistant).

Ladle in about 3 Tbsp of pancake batter, then lift and tilt skillet to spread batter evenly.

Return to heat; brown, then flip.  Invert cooked pancakes onto a serving dish and repeat the process until all the batter is used up.  For easy eating, spread your fillings evenly onto the flat pancake, then fold the pancake in half; then in half again.  This makes a nice triangle/cup-shape that is simple to hold and eat whilst containing all the filling's goodness.  Alternatively, you can roll them up jelly-roll style and eat with knife and fork.

Leftovers? These p-cakes also make a great wrap for packed lunches.

*Note: I usually double or triple this recipe when feeding my family of 4 - gives plenty for main course and dessert. 

Baby Banana Breads

These little treats are perfect for using up over-ripe bananas and make a wonderful gift for friends and neighbours.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 egg

1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cooking oil

1/2 cup chocolate chips (or sub walnuts)

1. Grease the bottom and sides of 3 small loaf pans (or 1 regular-size loaf pan); set aside.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp. salt.  Make a well in the center of the dry mixture; set aside.

2. In another bowl combine the egg, bananas, sugar, and cooking oil.  Add egg mixture all at once to dry mixture. 

Stir just till moistened (batter should be lumpy).  Fold in chocolate chips/nuts.

3. Spoon batter into the prepared pans.  Top with a prepared crumble or streusel topping, if desired (optional).  Bake in a 350 F oven for 50-55 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Remove loaves from pans; cool on a wire rack.  Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

Basic Bread Dough

This is a sweeter dough than a traditional white bread recipe.  Round it into balls for traditional dinner rolls or cover with butter, cinnamon-sugar and brown sugar to create cinnamon rolls.  This dough is also an ideal base for stromboli and calzones.

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dried yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

In stand mixer bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour and yeast; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat and stir the milk, sugar, butter and salt just till warm and butter almost melts.

Add warm milk/sugar/butter mixture to dry mixture along with eggs.

Blend on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl.  Beat on high speed 3 minutes.  Then, using a dough hook attachment, stir in remaining flour and blend until you have a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic.

Shape dough into a ball.  Place dough in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease dough.  Cover and let rise in a warm place till double in size (about 1 hour).

Punch dough down.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Then mold into desired shape and bake at 375 F (190 C) for 20 to 25 minutes (for cinnamon or dinner rolls) or 30- 40 minutes or till golden for larger breads.

Butterflake Rolls

These rolls made a weekly appearance at our Sunday afternoon dinners when I was growing up. They are beautiful, delicious and make the perfect accompaniment to any soup or meal. This recipe makes about 3 dozen rolls and since they freeze well, they are worth the effort to make up a batch now and again.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 eggs
1 + 1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup hot water
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
6-8 cups strong white bread flour (or plain flour)

First, dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.

In large mixing bowl, beat eggs, then add milk, hot water, sugar and salt. Add yeast mixture, then add flour gradually using enough to make dough workable, but not stiff. I recommend using the dough hook attachment of your electric stand mixer:

Turn dough out onto a floured surface.



Divide dough in half.



Roll into a circle about 1/4-inch thick.


Spread on softened butter or margarine.



Using a pizza cutter, divide dough circle into fourths,

then cut each fourth into four or five triangle-shaped pieces.

Roll up like a crescent roll and place on a greased baking sheet.

Let rise for 2 to 4 hours:

Bake at 400 F (200 C) for 8-10 minutes.

Finally, brush the finished rolls with a light coating of butter to give them a golden, glossy look.