Are you ready for Pancake Tuesday?  We are sure you have a recipe for good old fashioned pancakes in a recipe book somewhere or one you can find online for Shrove Tuesday. Hopefully you have everything you need to make some delicious pancakes…but just in case you forgot, we thought we would give you our favourite recipe from a top London chef if you want to try something different (and up for a challenge!)                                        

Ingredients: (serves four)

For the lemon curd:

• 6 lemons
• 175g caster sugar
• 150g unsalted butter
• 5 eggs

For the batter: 

• 125g plain flour
• 1tsp salt
• 250ml best whole milk
• 3 whole eggs
• Vegetable oil for frying 

For the caramelised apples: 

• 6 apples
• 2 lemons
• 125g caster sugar

 To garnish:

• 30g whole almonds, chopped and roast golden in the oven for 5-6 minutes. 
• Good quality custard, to serve. 

Method:

Start by making the lemon curd, which can be done even a few days in advance.

Finely grate the zest of three lemons and juice all 6, then whisk together all the ingredients in a glass or metal bowl.

Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure it’s sitting above the water and not touching it.

Cook gently, stirring often for 20 minutes or until it’s thick. Pass the curd through a fine sieve and cool. Place in bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Next, prepare the caramelised apples. Juice the two lemons into a bowl. Peel and core the apples, then cut each half into 4 or 5 slices, tossing each slice in the lemon juice.

Place a big dish beside the cooker. Heat a wide pan over moderate heat and add in the sugar. Tilt the pan to ensure the sugar melts and caramelises evenly. When coloured a deep mahogany, gently add the apples in lemon juice. Step back while the caramel splutters. Once the apples have settled gently shake the pan and mix the apples with the caramel. Once all are evenly coated, let the apples cook, stirring only occasionally, until softened and turned a golden amber. Tip these into the waiting dish and set aside.

Finally, to make the crêpes, whisk the flour, salt, milk and eggs together in a bowl until the batter has the smooth consistency of thin cream. Set the oven to 180C.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a moderate heat and add in a half teaspoon of vegetable oil. Pour in enough batter to evenly cover the base of the pan thinly.

Cook briskly until the edges colour brown and lift carefully and flip. Cook for further minute, then place on a dish. Continue this until all are done.

In the centre of each pancake, place a spoonful pf caramelised apple, then a spoonful of lemon curd. Roll the pancake loosely and sit in a large oven-proof dish. Continue until all are filled and happily sitting side by side.

Cover the dish loosely with tin foil and place in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the pancakes are warmed through. Remove from the oven, strew with almonds, dust with icing sugar and serve with the custard in jug. 

Bon appétit!