American pancakes

Use self-raising flour, or add baking powder to plain flour, and fold the wet ingredients in just until combined. A few lumps are fine; overmixing makes the pancakes dense. Leave the batter to stand for about 5 minutes before cooking.

Cook it in a lightly buttered pan over a medium heat. Flip when bubbles appear across the top and the edges look set, usually after about 2 minutes; cook the other side for about 1 minute.

Maple syrup and berries are classic toppings; crispy bacon makes a popular sweet-and-savoury brunch. You can also serve them with yoghurt and sliced banana.

For 250 ml of buttermilk, use 250 ml of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Leave it for 5 minutes before adding it to the batter; it will curdle slightly and give the pancakes a gentle tang.

Cool them promptly, refrigerate in a covered container and eat within 2 days. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and only reheat them once.

Yes. Cool them completely, stack with baking paper between each pancake and freeze in a sealed container. Reheat from frozen in a toaster or microwave until piping hot.

Yes. Plain pancakes provide 182 kcal per 100 g, compared with 286 kcal for American pancakes.

No. Raw flour can contain harmful bacteria, and batter may also contain uncooked egg. Don’t taste it; cook the pancakes thoroughly.