Innovative Pancake Varieties to Spruce Up Your Shrove Tuesday Celebration
Every year, millions of people worldwide celebrate Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day. According to historical records, the tradition of eating pancakes on this day goes back several centuries when people used up their surplus of eggs and fats before the fasting period of Lent began. These days, pancakes are celebrated in all their glory with sensational varieties that span the globe. Bored with plain old buttermilk pancakes and craving something a little more innovative? Here are some fabulous pancake variations to elevate your Shrove Tuesday celebration.
A Japanese Delight: Okonomiyaki
While it might not have the same look and feel as your traditional breakfast, the Okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese inclusion among pancake ideas. This dish comes loaded with a bounty of ingredients. Panels of cabbage, seafood, vegetables, and even bacon make up the dense batter. After cooking on a hot griddle, it is topped off with a delicious barbecue-style sauce known as okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, and bonito flakes that ripple enticingly from the heat.
Indulge Without Guilt: Protein Pancakes
If you are health-conscious but still want to partake in Shrove Tuesday festivities, protein pancakes can be a great addition. Nutritionally balanced and packed with essential proteins, these help keep you full for longer. The vital secret lies in incorporating protein powders into your regular batter or subbing part of your flour for protein-packed alternatives like lentil flour or chickpea flower.
Dive into Flavours of Middle East: Manakeesh
Resembling a pizza pancake hybrid, Manakeesh is a popular Middle Eastern street food that can add a distinct flavour to your pancake collection. Typically, it is topped with zaatar – a spice blend of oregano, toasted sesame seeds, marjoram, and sumac – or delicious white cheese before baking.
Sweets Lovers Paradise: Red Velvet Pancakes
Bring the gourmet restaurant experience to your home by whipping up some decadent red velvet pancakes. Not just aesthetically pleasing, they are fluffy, sweet and taste just as good as the iconic red velvet cake. Add a cream cheese glaze as frosting for an added level of scrumptious satisfaction.
Nordic Taste Sensation: Scandinavian Aebleskivers
Aebleskivers are fluffy, spherical pancakes from Denmark. Ideal for those bored of ordinary flat pancakes. The batter is cooked in a special aebleskiver pan to give it its signature round shape. It is perfect for stuffing with apples or jam and dusting with powdered sugar for a sweet treat.
The Classic French Spin: Crepes
You cannot talk about pancakes without mentioning the French classic, crepes. Thin and light, these pancakes open your culinary world to endless filling possibilities. From Nutella and strawberries to ham and cheese, every crepe can provide a unique flavour explosion to your taste buds.
Rise High with American Soufflé Pancakes
For those who enjoy thicker, fluffier fare, these American-style soufflé pancakes do not disappoint. They have a light and airy texture thanks to the beaten egg whites incorporated into the batter which causes them to rise high on the griddle.
A Fruity Twist: Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes
These pancakes dedicatedly capture the essence of pineapple upside-down cake. Griddle-cook pineapple slices on one side of the pancake then flip it over, so the fruit caramelizes while the pancake cooks around it. Top with maraschino cherries and whipped cream for a no-holds-barred morning treat.
Influence from India: Dosa
Dosa is a classic South-Indian pancake made from a fermented batter of rice and lentils. It is thin and crispy, almost crepe-like, with a subtly sour flavour, making it perfect to wrap around savoury fillings.
Choco Oreo Dream Pancakes
Why not surprise little family members with an attractively decadent oreo themed pancake? Adding ground oreo cookies into the batter can give pancakes a unique flavour twist. Top it off with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving.
The Delight of Simplicity: Lemon and Sugar Pancakes
Sometimes, simplicity works best. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar on a hot-off-griddle pancake can be as tantalizing as any gourmet variety. The sweet and tangy flavours make for an irresistible combination everyone loves.
All Things Vegan: Buckwheat Banana Pancakes
Vegans have no reason to feel left out on Shrove Tuesday. A vegan-friendly mix of ripe bananas, buckwheat flour, and almond milk creates deliciously moist, naturally sweet pancakes that everyone will enjoy.
Bite-Size Fun: Mini Pancake Cereal
A recent global sensation, mini pancake cereals are incredibly adorable and the perfect way to make your breakfast fun. They are just regular pancakes but tiny-sized, acting as perfect bite-sized morsels that can be enjoyed with a spoon.
Texture Charge: Fluffy Ricotta Pancakes
Adding ricotta cheese into your pancake batter introduces an irresistibly rich and creamy texture. The subtle cheese flavour works flawlessly with lemon or berry fruit toppings to provide a balance of flavours.
A Carnivorous Delight: Bacon Pancakes
American style bacon pancakes offer an exciting twist on the classic pancake. Combine pieces of crispy bacon right into the batter before griddling. Sweet and savoury, they create a harmonious blend that will captivate all pancake lovers.
End of Your Pancake Journey
These fifteen innovative pancake varieties are sure to spruce up your Shrove Tuesday Celebration. By exploring unique and diverse pancakes from around the world, you can turn an ordinary day into a culinary adventure right in your kitchen.