The Culinary Corner

Photo by Maria Shields O’Kelly.

Photo by Maria Shields O’Kelly.

Heart-shaped Breakfast

It’s the season of love and what better way to wake up your feelings than with a special Valentine’s Day Breakfast for your loved one.

Pancakes are versatile and can be dressed up to suit anyone’s taste. This will serve as the indisputable answer to the question, “Do you want to bother marking the occasion this year?” Just make up the batter the night before and in the morning there will be hot pancakes to form the basis of a loving shared meal while still leaving the rest of the day free for your partner to reciprocate the gesture before nightfall!

Pancake Batter
225g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1 tsp white sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
30g butter, melted and cooled
300ml milk
Butter, for frying

Melt the butter in a saucepan or the microwave and allow to cool. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl along with the sugar and salt. Beat two large eggs in a cup, make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the eggs, butter and milk. Mix by hand or with a blender until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a jug and leave in the fridge overnight to prove. In the morning, fry on a medium heat pan with a knob of butter. Make the heart shape by either using heart-shaped scone cutters or by simply cutting out the shape of a heart with a sharp knife when they are cooked.

Toppings
The pancakes can go with anything, including a savoury breakfast if you leave out the sugar. Prepare the toppings before cooking, as they are best served hot. Some ideas for toppings are:
Strawberries, cream, Nutella, melted butter and lemon, cherries, homemade marmalade, peanut butter and banana, and because it’s Valentine’s Day, more strawberries.
Serve with tea, coffee, orange juice or as part of a champagne breakfast.

By Maria Shields O’Kelly