Have a Break, Have a Yoghurt Pancake

 🎓 1st Year PhD + • 📘 History • 🛋️ Lazy

This is a recipe I grew up with. My mum would make it for me when I was a child—and still does—and I believe her mother did the same for her while she was growing up in Poland. So, yes, this isn’t my recipe and I’ve made no attempt to modify it because that would be downright blaspheme. I will also be honest and say that this is my best guess as to how my mum makes it, and it definitely will never be as good as hers—the secret ingredient, of course, being maternal love. I nonetheless thought it crucial to include in my blog because it was something I would often make for myself on a Sunday when I was single, usually nursing a hangover, and in need of a treat because I was free of my PhD for the day. 

So, I’ll keep this short and sweet because this should be Your Time. 

This is the kind of recipe you throw together at 11am on a Sunday, taking it back to bed to enjoy a day of Netflix and Chill, preferably alone. I’ve thus only stipulated enough ingredients for an incredibly indulgent single portion (especially if you consider any generous toppings). This is a recipe, too, that you can pick at as the day progresses instead of submitting yourself to any more cooking. In fact, I would strongly urge that that be the extent of your time in the kitchen. Be an advocate for all of us and claim your right to do F*** All today. The guilt and self-doubt can wait until tomorrow. 

A few notes on the recipe: 

Please, please do not use light or fat-free yoghurt. Not only does it completely undermine the point of having pancakes, but it’ll totally ruin the consistency and therefore the pancakes themselves. If you are lactose intolerant then I believe this should still work well with a dairy-free alternative (although, I must say I haven’t tested it). Again, try to opt for something thick and rich such as coconut yoghurt, the consistency really does matter. 

If, like me, you live in a land where self-raising flour seems impossible to come by then swap it out for 75g plain flour and 1 tsp baking powder. 

Although the pancakes are delicious on their own, I would advise taking the opportunity to slather on an array of toppings and introducing some kind of moist-maker. I love to add strawberry jam or hazelnut chocolate spread. You could also use the usual pancake standbys: lemon and sugar, fruit and honey, compotes or coulis, apple mousse, nut butters, or even a combination of yoghurt whipped up with icing sugar. 

Servings: approx. 10 pancakes              🥕 V

Time:
👐 Hands-on: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• Oil, for frying

• 1 egg 

• 3 tbsp caster sugar (granulated or coconut will also work)

• 1 tsp vanilla essence 

• 150ml full fat plain yoghurt 

• 75g self-raising flour

Instructions

1. Pour a little neutral oil into a standard-sized frying pan, then wipe it around the surface with kitchen paper. Keep the oiled paper to re-grease the pan as needed during cooking. Set the pan over medium heat.

2. Whisk together the egg, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the yoghurt, followed by the self-raising flour, until you have a thick, smooth batter.

3. Using a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot pan, leaving a little space between each. You should be able to cook around 4–5 pancakes at a time.

4. When bubbles start to rise to the surface, flip them over. If they’re browning too quickly or burning, lower the heat slightly.

5. Repeat until all the batter is used up, this should take 2–3 rounds.

6. Take them back to bed, precariously arranging an assortment of toppings on your bedside table so you can help yourself accordingly.

Storage

It’ll keep for a couple of days, but that’s not really the point.