Pancakes were one of the first things I made in the early days of free from baking. I have vivid childhood memories of my mum making them for us. I have a basic recipe that I muck about with based on Elizabeth Gordon’s silver dollar pancakes from her book allergy free desserts. The first thing I did was double the recipe which just about does me and the kids for breakfast. If my husband is home I triple it!  The following recipe generously feeds 2 kids and a Mum. 

Pancake basic mix

1 cup dairy free milk (I’ve made them with rice, Koko, hemp and soya)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 teaspoon cider vinegar (or lemon juice)

1 flax egg (Tbs ground flaxseed & 3 Tbs water)

1 cup plain gluten free flour (I usually mix my own for pancakes. I keep a container of Cybele Pascal’s gf bread flour mix http://cybelepascal.com/gluten-free-flour-tortillas/ made up and used about half a cup of that and half a cup of buckwheat flour but Doves farm plain flour works ok or use self raising and leave out the baking powder and xanthan gum)

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar 

2 Teaspoons baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 Teaspoon salt 

1/4 Teaspoon xanthan gum

Lightly grease a frying pan with oil and heat over a medium heat. 

Place dairy free milk, cider vinegar and vanilla essence in a small bowl. 

Combine ground flaxseed and water in another small bowl

Sieve flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and xanthan gum together in a large bowl. Add sugar and whisk to combine. 

Add df milk and flax mix to dry ingredients and mix together. 

The pancakes are nice plain or you can add chopped bananas, chocolate chips, blueberries or cocoa. Today we split the mix into 2 bowls and added 1 Tbs cocoa and a handful of df choc chips to one bowl. 

Spoon the mix onto the warm frying pan, plain rounds or shapes if you are feeling creative. Cook until bubbles rise and the edges look set then flip over with a spatula and cook for a shorter time on the second side. Times depend on your hob and your pan! 

I cook the pancakes in batches and sit them on a large plate with a piece of kitchen roll on it until cool enough to serve. My kids like them plain, with dairy free spread, honey, syrup, maple syrup or jam. I quite like them with prunes and a spoon of coyo. 

Best eaten warm and freshly made.