I’m Late . . I’m Late for a very important date!

I know, I’m sorry, I’m really late for the date of Shrove Tuesday! I had it all set up to do – and then decided to paint our bedroom! And then . . . well, you know how it is – you do one thing and it leads to another. Lovely, freshly painted walls showed up the winter’s dust and cobwebs . . . . the bed obviously had to be changed . . . new cushion covers for the bed and chair!

I was going to abandon the idea of pancakes altogether but, on the basis that Tuesday is a week day (work and home schooling – however do you manage?) you might have more time at the weekend to try out a different pancake recipe.

A Japanese soufflé pancake is a pancake made using soufflé techniques and are incredibly popular there. Egg whites are whipped up with sugar into a glossy thick meringue then mixed with a batter made with the yolks. Soufflé pancakes are fluffy, jiggly, sweet, soft, and so, so delicious. They taste like you are eating a sweet pancake cloud, with butter and syrup!

JAPANESE PANCAKES – this could be more than enough for one (or not, depending on how hungry you are!)

2 large eggs
2¼ tsp baking powder
150g plain flour
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
1 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
180ml full fat milk
Zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons

For the lemon syrup
Juice of 2 unwaxed lemons
100g icing sugar

To serve
25g Greek yoghurt
75g mascarpone
½ tsp icing sugar
Blackberries or raspberries / handful of pistachio nuts

Split the eggs and whisk the whites firmly. Put the yolks to one side. Sift the baking powder into the flour, then sift again before adding the sugar. Mix well. In the middle, create a well and add the egg yolks and oil. Mix, then add the milk and mix again. Blend the batter on high power or at speed if using a whisk. Mix in half of the lemon zest. Fold in the whisked egg whites with a metal spoon, being careful not to knock the air out of the mixture. Warm a frying pan on the lowest heat and wait until the bottom is fully and equally heated. Grease the pan lightly with oil. Pour batter into a muffin ring or poached egg ring placed in the centre of your pan and fill until two-thirds full. Add a few drops of water into the pan before putting the lid on. Stand back and let the heat and steam do the work. Check after about 8 min. If they are wobbly yet firm, very gently turn them over using a fish slice. Put the lid back on and cook for another few minutes. Meanwhile, make your lemon syrup. Bring the lemon juice with icing sugar to the boil. Boil for 2 min, let simmer at medium heat. Put in a small bowl. In another bowl, mix the yoghurt, mascarpone, ½ teaspoon icing sugar and the remainder of the lemon zest. As soon as the pancakes are done, bring your toppings to the table and tuck in.