RECIPE: Banana and blueberry pancakes

Banana and blueberry pancake with golden syrup

An American classic, everyone loves pancakes for breakfast or brunch. Ideally we'd be in a retro US diner with a huge stack of them and a peanut butter milkshake on the side, but hey you can't have it all.

A lot of people consider pancakes to be a real treat, but they're actually very simple and quick to make. So why not whip up a batch to surprise your family/friends one morning? They will definitely thank you for it.

I particularly like this recipe as the mashed banana adds plenty of sweetness thus eliminating the need for any sugar - this is why it's important that your bananas are really ripe, preferably turning brown and speckly. 

Thanks to the blueberries as well, these pancakes are actually somewhat healthy, so you needn't feel too guilty about stuffing your face. However, if you're catering for non-blueberry lovers, you can leave them out, OR - for a slightly less guilt-free alternative - substitute chocolate chips.

They're actually delicious as they are, but I like mine with golden syrup, maple syrup, Nutella, peanut butter and honey - not all at once, I might add. This recipe makes delightfully soft pancakes thanks to the banana and is so easy - just mix everything together and go!

Plain banana pancakes, ready to eat!

Ingredients

200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 egg
300ml milk
20g butter, melted
2 bananas, really ripe and mashed
a handful or two of blueberries, chopped in halves
sunflower oil for cooking

A plain banana pancake, ready to be flipped!

Method

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Beat the egg with the milk in a jug, and then whisk into the dry ingredients with a fork to make a thick smooth batter. Stir in the melted butter, and mix in the mashed bananas and chopped blueberries.

2. Heat a teaspoon of oil or small knob of butter in a large non-stick frying pan*. Drop a large tablespoonful of the batter per pancake into the pan and watch them spread and small bubbles appear on the surface. Cook for about 1-2 minutes over a medium heat then flip over and cook another minute or so until golden. Try to stop everyone devouring the first one straight out of the frying pan, and smother with your choice of syrup or spread when ready to eat. YUM!

*Or if you're a country bumpkin like me, you can cook these straight on to the simmering plate of your AGA with a greaseproof sheet on top.