Pancake Day
By silverglades on February 21, 2023
History of Pancake Day in Scotland:
Pancake Day has a long history in Scotland and is celebrated as the last day of feasting before Lent begins. During Lent, Christians traditionally give up meat, eggs, and dairy products for 40 days, leading up to Easter Sunday. In order to use up these ingredients before Lent, people began making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, which was the day before the start of Lent.
Pancake Races in Scotland:
One of the most popular traditions on Pancake Day in Scotland is the pancake race. In this fun and lively event, participants race while carrying a frying pan and flipping a pancake at the same time. The winner is the first person to cross the finish line with their pancake still intact.
The Scottish pancake:
The Scottish pancake (also known as a dropped scone) which originates from a traditional Scottish scone. In the past it was typically cooked on a griddle for the flat surface, however, today a lot of people use a pan. The pancake itself is thicker and smaller than the typical fluffy American pancake.
To make your own traditional Scottish pancake! Here are the steps you can follow:
Ingredients:
- 225g (8 oz) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 50g (2 oz) caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 150ml (5 fl oz) milk
- A pinch of salt
- Butter or oil for frying
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together until fully combined.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and gradually pour in the egg and milk mixture. Whisk until you have a smooth batter.
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and melt a small amount of butter or oil.
- Using a ladle, spoon a small amount of batter into the pan, forming a circle about 10cm (4 inches) in diameter.
- Cook the pancake for 1-2 minutes on one side, or until bubbles start to appear on the surface. Then, flip the pancake over and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side.
- Remove the pancake from the pan and keep it warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining pancakes.
- Serve the pancakes hot, with your choice of toppings, such as butter, jam, honey, or fruit.
That's it! You should now have a delicious stack of traditional Scottish pancakes ready to enjoy.
