Breakfast at The Connaught is one of life’s great pleasures. Exquisite service, elegant surroundings, freshly squeezed juice and an indulgent meal with all the trimmings – what could be better?
Well, how about recreating the experience at home? While you can’t exactly transport the majesty of The Connaught directly into your living room, you can have a go at making its signature pancakes for the whole family. Light, airy and delicately scented with vanilla, these rich pancakes were created by executive pastry chef Loïc Carbonnet, who prepares them for the daily breakfast service.
While they may be a little more complicated than your standard crêpe recipe, the result will be worth it. And with Pancake Day on the horizon (17 February), now is the perfect time to practise.
How to make The Connaught's Perfect Breakfast Pancakes
Ingredients
525g T55 flour
150g sugar
1.5g salt
30g baking powder
265ml whole milk
265ml buttermilk
1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
7 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
Method
In a large bowl, combine the flour, half the sugar, salt and baking powder.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, buttermilk, vanilla seeds and egg yolks until smooth.
Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture, mixing just until combined.
In a clean mixing bowl, whip the egg whites with half of the sugar until softly whipped and glossy.
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in stages, preserving as much air as possible.
Transfer the batter to piping bags for precise portioning.
Cook in a nonstick frying pan until evenly golden. Or, if you happen to have a crêpe machine, preheat to 180°C and cook for 3-4 minutes per side.
Chef’s tips
• Whipping the egg whites with sugar from the start helps stabilise the foam, resulting in a lighter texture and easier incorporation into the batter.
• For optimal results, cook the pancakes on a professional crêpe machine as above, then finish in the oven at 180°C for an additional 2 minutes to achieve ideal structure and tenderness.
Thanks to the chefs at The Connaught for revelaing all - wishing you a successful and scrumptious Pancake Day! Discover more at the-connaught.co.uk