Pancake Day is also known as ‘Shrove Tuesday’ it is the traditional feast that is held the day before the start of lent on Ash Wednesday. The day was named after the custom of Christians to be “shriven” before the start of Lent. This is the 40 day period leading up to Easter. Shove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before embarking on the Lenten fast and pancakes were the perfect way of using up these ingredients.

Pancake day always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year.

The ingredients for pancakes can be seen to symbolise four points of significance at Easter and springtime:

• Eggs – Creation
• Flour – The staff of life
• Salt – Wholesomeness
• Milk – Purity

The perfect pancake recipe…

1. Place 125g of plain flour and 1 pinch of salt into a bowl.
2. Crack 3 large eggs and pour in 250ml of milk.
3. Whisk well until you have a smooth batter.
4. Place a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat.
5. Once the pan is warm add a small amount of butter or olive oil.
6. Pour into the pan 1 ladle of the batter.
7. Lift the pan off the heat and tilt it so the batter spreads evenly across the base of the pan.
8. Place the pan back on the heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until the batter starts to come away from the sides and you can begin to easily lift the pancake from the pan.
9. Once golden underneath flip the pancake over and cook for a further minuet until cooked through.
10. Serve straightway with your favourite topping! Or even stack your pancakes up on a plate!

Some of the top pancake topping ideas!!

• Lemon and sugar
• Chocolate
• Jam
• Banana & Strawberries
• American blueberry
• Buttermilk pancakes
• Peanut better & banana
• Cheese & onion
• Tomato & mushroom

Shrove Tuesday can be an exciting day in the kitchen for adults, children and young people but ensuring staying safe is key! Here are 5 top safety tips when cooking pancakes with your children and young people this Pancake Day!

1. Test your smoke alarm before cooking
2. Supervise children in the kitchen at all times
3. Ensure saucepan handles do not stick out over the edge of the cooker, as they could easily be knocked off!
4. Be careful when cooking with the hot oil or butter
5. Have cloths and oven gloves nearby for when the pan gets hot

Happy cooking!