Chef Claire’s top tips for perfect pancakes!

To make 12 pancakes:

• 4oz plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 7 fl oz milk
• 3 fl oz water
• 2 tbsp melted butter

Method

Combine all the wet ingredients first, and then add the flour. The melted butter is the secret ingredient here; the batter is quite runny, so the butter thickens it and the pancakes taste really rich. We don’t get the chance to rest the batter in our kitchen before cooking — everyone’s too eager for their pancakes! Get the pan quite hot, then turn it down to a medium heat and brush with butter — you only need a tiny amount to coat the pan.

If you are making a big batch of pancakes, my top tip is to set a pan of simmering water with a plate on top, and stack your pancakes there — that will keep them nice and warm.

The favourite filling at the hospice is sliced bananas and homemade toffee sauce. To make toffee sauce put 8oz each of butter and demerara sugar, and 8 fl oz of double cream in a pan and bring it to the boil, then leave to cool. Put sliced bananas on your pancakes and top with the toffee sauce — delicious!