American pancakes. The best!

Ingredients

• 350g/12oz self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 200ml/7fl oz buttermilk (can be made with mixing normal SS milk with 1tbs lemon juice.)
• 400ml/14fl oz semi-skimmed milk
• 2 free-range eggs
• 85g/3oz unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for frying
• 12 rashers smoked streaky bacon
• 50ml/2fl oz maple syrup

Method

1. In a bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar.
2. In a separate bowl or jug, mix together the buttermilk, milk, eggs and butter. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Do not overbeat – stir just to combine.
3. Melt a small knob of butter in a large frying pan. Using a ladle, pour some batter into the pan to make a pancake. Depending on the size of the pan, you may be able to make more than one pancake at a time, or if you are confident you can use two pans at the same time.
4. Cook the pancakes for about a minute, or until the underside is golden brown and the top is bubbling. Turn them over using a palette knife or fish slice and cook for another minute. Keep the pancakes warm in a very low oven while you cook the remaining batter.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium–hot. Lay the bacon on a grill tray lined with foil and brush with some of the maple syrup. Grill until one side of the bacon is crisp. Turn over and brush the other side with maple syrup and cook until crisp.
6. Serve the pancakes stacked on top of each other, topped with grilled bacon and drizzled with maple syrup.

Pancakes

120g plain flour
2 eggs
300ml milk

Sift four into a bowl & make a well, add eggs and beat with fork, gradually adding milk.  Stand for 30 minutes before frying.

Blueberry Croissant Bake

Recipe & Image taken from www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.vom

3 large croissants, cut up (about 5 to 5 1/2 cups)

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place croissant pieces in a 9 inch square pan. Sprinkle with blueberries.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add milk, beating well after each addition. Pour evenly over croissant pieces. Let stand 20 minutes.

Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until set in center and golden brown. You may want to cover it with foil for the last 10 minutes if the tops are getting too browned.

Serve warm sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Variation: Instead of baking in a square pan bake individually. Place croissant pieces evenly in 10 (1/2-cup) ramekins; sprinkle with blueberries and pour cream cheese mixture evenly over croissant pieces. Let stand 20 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until set in center and golden brown.

Banana French Toast

Recipe & image taken from www.blogs.babble.com

1 very ripe banana

2 eggs

5 slices texas toast

chocolate ice cream syrup

whipped cream

sprinkles

marachino cherries

Heat a griddle or frying pan to medium heat.  In a shallow blender, puree the eggs and banana together.  Pour into a shallow baking dish.

Dip both sides of the toast into the banana puree and grill until golden brown.

Serve drizzled with chocolate syrup and a dollop of whipping cream.

Decorate with sprinkles and a cherry.

Lemon Sweet Rolls

Recipe & Image taken from http://www.cheekykitchen.com

2 cups very warm water
2 tablespoons dry yeast
2/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup butter
1 egg
5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Zest and juice of 6 Meyer Lemons
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese
6 cups powdered sugar

In a large bowl, whisk together the warm water and yeast. Allow the yeast to proof by setting is aside for about 5 minutes. If a foamy layer forms at the top of the water, your yeast is ready to go!

Whisk in the dry milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, and salt. Add 1/2 cup of softened butter to the mixture, as well as the egg. Slowly begin stirring in the flour, one cup at a time. Add just enough flour to create a soft (but not sticky dough). Knead the dough until it becomes elastic. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top of the dough, place it in in a large, clean bowl, cover lightly with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm place for one hour.

Cut the risen dough into thirds. Use a rolling pin to spread the dough into a long, thin rectangle (about 1/2 inch thick). Melt the 1 cup of butter and spread approximately one-third of the melted butter over the long rectangle of dough. Sprinkle the zest of two lemons across the butter (you can sprinkle more for a lot of lemon flavor), then sprinkle 1/3 cup of sugar across the melted butter. Roll the dough up tightly, then slice into 1 1/2 inch cinnamon rolls, and transfer to a large baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Allow the rolls to raise on top of your preheating oven for 20-30 minutes. Bake rolls in the oven for 16-18 minutes, or until the tops are a light, golden brown. Remove and frost immediately with Lemon Meyer Cream Cheese Icing.

For the icing, beat together all of the fresh-squeezed juice from the lemons, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until very smooth. Spread over warm Lemon Meyer Sweet Rolls. Enjoy immediately.

Croque Monsieur

Recipe & Image taken from www.savuryandsweet.com

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons plain flour

2 cups hot milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

pinch nutmeg

12oz gruyere cheese, grated

1/2 cup parmesan, grated

8 croissants

Dijon mustard 

8oz honey roast ham

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter over a low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour, stirring with a wodden spoon for 2 minutes.

Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter mixture and cook, whisking continuously until the sauce is thickened.

Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere and the Parmesan and set aside.

Half the croissants, place the slices on two baking trays and bake for 4 minutes.  Turn each slice over and bake for a further 2 minutes.

Lightly brush half of each croissant with mustard, add slices of ham and 1/2 the remaining Gruyere.  Top with the other half of the croissant. 

Smother the croissants in the cheese sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere before baking for 5 minutes.  

Finally grill the croissants for 3-5 minutes until bubbling and browned.

French Toast with Fruit & Maple Syrup

Recipe & Image from http://www.slimmingeats.com

4 slices of whole wheat bread (2xHEb’s)

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of semi skimmed milk (0.5 syns)

0.5 teaspoon of sugar (0.5 syns)

Chopped up fruit of your choice

Frylight or Pam Buttery Spray

2 tablespoons of maple syrup (4 syns)

Add the eggs, milk and sugar to a shallow bowl and whisk together.

Add the bread and make sure the slices are fully soaked with the mixture.

Spray a frying pan or skillet with Frylight.

Add the soaked slices and cook on each side until golden.

Serve topped with your choice of fruit and a tablespoon of maple syrup.