7 Pancake Day essentials

This year, Pancake Day (yes, for any non-British readers, we really do have a day dedicated entirely to pancakes) falls on Tuesday 5th March. And we can't wait. To get everyone in the spirit and to prevent any last minute mishaps, we've pulled together our Pancake Day essentials, ensuring you have everything you need this Shrove Tuesday.

Find more kitchen must-haves on our buyer's guides hub; check out our food page, too, for some of our favourite recipes.

1. A great pancake recipe (or three)

At the heart of a great Pancake Day is a great recipe. Whether you're looking for traditional British pancakes – the kind that inspired Shrove Tuesday – small and fluffy American pancakes or a plant-based take on pancakes, we've pulled together our pick of the three best recipes for you to try.

When it comes to toppings (aka the best bit), here are a few ideas:

• Lemon and sugar;
• Nutella;
• Jam;
• Chocolate and banana, strawberries, pear, raspberries (or any other fruit);
• Peanut butter, chocolate and ice cream;
• Bacon and maple syrup;
• Greek yoghurt and fruit compote (rhubarb, anyone?);
• Blueberry and maple syrup.

Traditional British pancakes

Having inspired Pancake Day, it only seems right to opt for a traditional pancake recipe this Shrove Tuesday. This recipe hits the nail on the head. 

Ingredients:

• 300g plain flour
• A pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 600ml milk
• 1tbsp melted butter

Method:

1. Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl and create a well at the centre into which you can pour the eggs, milk and pinch of salt. Mix with a whisk until you create a smooth batter.
2. Heat the pan and add a knob of butter, waiting for it to melt completely.
3. Add just under a ladle-full of pancake mixture to the pan, swirling the mixture to cover the entire base of the pan.
4. Allow then pancake to gently cook for 30 to 40 seconds, using a palette knife to check when the base of the pancake has become golden-brown in colour.
5. Flip the pancake and cook the other-side for another 30 to 40 seconds, serving when both sides are golden brown.

Good old American pancakes

If you like your pancakes a little more on the fluffy side, American style pancakes could be the ones for you. They're better suited to maple syrup and bacon, too, if that's your preference. It doesn't get much better than this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 300ml milk
• A knob of butter
• Sunflower oil or a little butter for cooking
• Golden or maple syrup (optional)
• 150g pack blueberries (optional if you want blueberry pancakes)

Method:

1. Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl and create a well in the centre, into which you can pour the milk, eggs and melted butter. Beat until the pancake batter is smooth.
2. Melt a knob of butter in a pan before adding a small ladle of pancake batter – you can try to cook more than one pancake at a time.
3. Flip the pancake and cook the other side before serving.  the underside is golden-brown. This should be around a minute or so.
4. Flip the pancake and cook the other-side before serving. 

Plant-based pancakes

If a successful Veganuary means you're facing your first plant-based pancake day, Deliciously Ella has you covered, thanks to her (truly marvellous) Banana Pancakes.

Ingredients:

• 100g porridge oats
• 200ml almond (or oat) milk
• 80g ground almonds
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• Coconut oil for cooking 

Method:

1. Place oats into a food processor, blending until they form a dusty flour.
2. Add to a bowl with ground almonds, cinnamon, salt and chia seeds. mixing well to remove any lumps.
3. Add the almond milk, mashed bananas  and maple syrup in order to create a batter, before leaving to thicken for 10 minutes.
4. Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to a pan over medium heat. Once warm, add a few spoonfuls of the pancake mixture and use a spoon to shape into a circle.
5. Leave the mixture to gently cook for one to two minutes, turning over once the bottom side is golden-brown in colour.
6. Once both sides are cooked, remove from the pan and add your desired toppings. 

2. A large mixing bowl 

Once you've settled on a pancake recipe, you're going to need a big mixing bowl to stir everything together. Seems like a basic piece of kitchen equipment, but you'd be surprised how many people don't have them.

We like the 3ltr Pyrex Glass Bowl, available at Amazon. 

3. The best ladle

The only tool that's really suitable for moving pancake mix between a mixing bowl and frying pan is a ladle. Without one, you may struggle a little...

This KitchenCraft Professional Stainless Steel Soup Ladle is an affordable option that will not only see you through this Pancake Day, but many more to come.

4. The perfect-for-pancakes frying pan

Essential to the pancake making process is a frying pan; you'll want a non-stick option if you are to stand a chance of getting the perfect flip.

Our guide to the best non-stick frying pans talks you through all the available options, but in our opinion it doesn't get much better than the Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick Shallow Frying Pan, available at Amazon.

5. A funky pancake mould (if you're feeling fun)

Looking to go all out this Pancake Day? A pancake mould is exactly what you're looking for and it doesn't get much cuter than the Dangshan Silicone Baking Mould, available at Amazon.

Use this handy contraption to create the perfect round, heart or star shaped pancakes and bring extra joy to the (already joyful) day dedicated to pancakes.

6. A handy spatula (if you can't master the pancake flip)

While we all dream of masterfully flipping pancakes, in reality our sweet treats could often use a little extra help to get them over. If you don't have a spatula at hand, now could be the time to pick one up.

This KitchenCraft Master Class Slotted Turner isn't fancy, but it more than does the job.

7. A handy crepe maker (for hard-core pancakers)

If you prefer your pancakes to be thin and more crepe-like, or you plan on making pancakes more often than once a year, you might consider investing in a handy crepe maker.

It doesn't get much better than the Breville Traditional Crepe Maker, available at Robert Dyas, which benefits from super speedy heat-up times. Top finished crepes with lashings of lemon and sugar or fill with cheddar, sundried tomatoes and rocket if you prefer things to be a little more savoury.

More tools you might need...

• The best hand mixers (if you don't fancy hand stirring your pancake mix)
• The best blenders
• The best juicers