Pikelets
Golden, lacy yeasted batter cakes with characteristic bubbly holes, cooked directly on a hot griddle and served warm with melted butter.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 215 kcal
Equipment
- •large mixing bowl
- •balloon whisk
- •heavy frying pan or griddle
- •silicone pastry brush
- •metal spatula
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 215 kcal
- fat
- 5 g
- carbs
- 36 g
- fibre
- 1.5 g
- protein
- 6 g
- calories
- 215 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Sift both flours into a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Stir the fast-action yeast, caster sugar, and fine sea salt into the flour.
- 3
Whisk the lukewarm milk and 150ml of warm water into the flour mixture until smooth.
- 4
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes until bubbly.
- 5
Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in two tablespoons of warm water, then gently fold into the risen batter.
- 6
Heat a heavy frying pan or griddle over medium heat and brush lightly with melted butter.
- 7
Drop two tablespoons of batter onto the hot pan per pikelet, allowing them room to spread naturally.
- 8
Cook for three to four minutes until the surface is dry and covered in small bursting holes.
- 9
Flip gently with a spatula and cook the reverse side for one minute until light golden.
- 10
Transfer to a warm plate and serve immediately with plenty of salted butter.
Chef's tips
Do not stir down the risen batter too vigorously or you will knock out the aeration needed for bubbles. If the pikelets colour too fast before the holes set, reduce the hob heat slightly. Keep the cooked pikelets warm under a clean tea towel while frying the remaining batches.
Ingredient substitutions
- semi-skimmed milk → whole milk or unsweetened oat milk
- strong white bread flour → all plain flour for a slightly softer, less chewy crumb
Storage
Store cooled pikelets in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze between sheets of greaseproof paper for one month.
Reheating
Toast under a medium grill or pop directly into an electric toaster until piping hot and slightly crisp.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cooking over too high heat, which scorches the base before bubbles pierce the top.
- •Using crumpet rings; pikelets must be free-form and allowed to spread thin.
- •Using cold liquid, which inhibits yeast fermentation and stops bubble formation.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Pikelets?
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