North West Pikelets
Thin, bubbly yeasted griddle breads cooked without rings until golden underneath, bursting with holes and soaked in melted salted butter.
- Prep
- 55 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 295 kcal
Equipment
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Whisk
- •Heavy frying pan or griddle
- •Ladle or large spoon
- •Fish slice or spatula
- •Wire cooling rack
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 295 kcal
- fat
- 10 g
- carbs
- 44 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 8 g
- calories
- 295 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the strong white flour, plain flour, dried yeast, caster sugar, and fine sea salt together in a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Pour the lukewarm milk and lukewarm water into the dry ingredients.
- 3
Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon or whisk for two minutes until you have a smooth, thick batter.
- 4
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for forty-five minutes until frothy.
- 5
Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in two tablespoons of warm water and stir gently into the risen batter.
- 6
Heat a heavy frying pan or flat griddle over medium-low heat and grease lightly with a little unsalted butter.
- 7
Drop two tablespoons of batter onto the hot griddle for each pikelet, leaving space for them to spread naturally.
- 8
Cook for four to five minutes until small bubbles burst across the surface and the top begins to dry.
- 9
Flip each pikelet over carefully using a fish slice and cook for one to two minutes until pale golden.
- 10
Transfer the cooked pikelets to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining batter.
- 11
Serve warm with generous pats of salted butter melting into the holes.
Chef's tips
Ensure your griddle heat is kept on medium-low so the pikelet base does not burn before the top has bubbled and set. If the batter seems too thick to spread into a thin round, stir in an extra tablespoon of warm water before frying.
Ingredient substitutions
- whole milk → semi-skimmed milk or unsweetened oat drink
- salted butter → plant-based butter block
Storage
Store cooled pikelets in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze for up to one month.
Reheating
Toast from fresh or frozen under a medium grill or in a toaster until heated through and crisp.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cooking over high heat, which scorches the underside before the surface bubbles burst.
- •Using crumpet rings, which makes them thick crumpets rather than traditional flat pikelets.
- •Skipping the bicarbonate of soda, resulting in flat, dense pancakes without holes.
Serving suggestions
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