Pancake Day with Rococo Founder Chantal

Pancakes are not reserved for Shrove Tuesday in our founder Chantal Coady’s house. When she was young, her mother would slave over the hot stove to make pancakes every morning for breakfast. This was no mean feat as they were five hungry kids. Chantal’s father believed they were the perfect balance of protein from the eggs, dairy from the milk and carbohydrate from the flour to prepare for the day. They were usually made with a classic white flour pancake recipe, topped with lemon and sugar, and cooked on a proper Breton pancake pan.

These are at the centre of Chantal’s Sunday Brunch tradition now. Her husband (and Rococo Chairman) James is in charge of the cooking. They serve them with Wensleysdale cheese and mango chutney, Talleggio and Truffle Honey, and of course, chocolate sauce.

James’ recipe for batter:

Serves 4

• 4oz buckwheat flour
• 2oz sieved plain white flour
• 2 eggs
• 12 fluid oz milk

Whisk all the ingredients together, making sure no lumps are left. The consistency should be getting towards double cream.

Heat a frying pan (an Indian chapatti pan works best for me) on medium to high heat. Use kitchen towel to lightly grease the hot surface.

Add small ladle of mixture and turn pan to give a thinly cover most of the pan.

After 30 seconds check to see if pancake is brown. Flip if it is.

When the edges start to curl, the second side of the pancake is done.

Re-grease the pan before each pancake.