- Prep time
- 0:10
- Cook time
- 0:20
- Skill level
- Low
- Serves
- 16 pikelets
As a mother to young children, it astonishes me how little I remember from my childhood.
I recall my bright pink lunchbox (it was a particularly good one), but for most of us it is not the day-to-day happenings that are etched in our minds.
Though what I do remember, and tremendously fondly, is a certain snack my mother would occasionally prepare for my brothers and me after school: pikelets.
Up to the bright orange bench in the kitchen we'd scuttle. Mum, spatula in hand, would serve each of us a tidy stack of warm, little golden cakes. There'd be a jar of jam and some butter too, and there we would sit, spreading and eating and chatting about our days (or not chatting — as I've now learnt, sometimes the chatting comes later).
My kids and I had a jolly time recreating this scene. Though in my pikelets I use wholemeal spelt flour (you can use regular wholemeal wheat flour too).
You might question whether the extra layers of grain in wholemeal flour would make pikelets too dense, but rest assured these are delightfully light. Moreover, the wholemeal flour provides a lovely, slightly more hearty base for sweet toppings, whether butter and jam, honey, or a little pot of maple syrup for dipping.
Tips:
- You can use regular wholemeal flour in place of spelt wholemeal flour.
- The golden caster sugar can be swapped for white caster sugar. Coconut sugar also works in its place.
- To make the pikelets dairy-free you can replace the cow's milk with dairy-free milk, and the butter with coconut oil.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter, as it can negatively affect the texture of the pikelets, causing them to be heavy. Some lumps of flour are actually OK, and can in fact help the pikelets cook more desirably.
- Be sure to use fresh bicarb soda (check the used-by date!).
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Ingredients
Method
- 1.Pour the milk into a jug and add the lemon juice. Set aside for 5 minutes to curdle (this will help make fluffy pikelets).
- 2.Place the flour and bicarb soda in a mixing bowl, then use a whisk to remove any lumps and aerate the flour. Add the sugar and salt and whisk to combine.
- 3.Create a well in the middle of the flour and add the egg. Use a fork to gently whisk the egg without disturbing the flour.
- 4.Use a wooden spoon to gently combine the flour, egg and milk while drizzling the milk into the bowl. Don't overmix the batter (see tips above).
- 5.Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add some butter and, when hot, pour a heaped tablespoon-worth of batter onto the pan. Watch the heat closely, turning it down as required to ensure the pikelet doesn't burn. When bubbles appear and the perimeter of the pikelet looks somewhat sturdy (i.e. like it won't slop all over the pan upon flipping), flip the pikelet and cook until cooked-through and golden. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping the pan of any flyaway bits of batter and adding more butter as necessary. Depending on the size of your pan you may fit 2–4 pikelets at a time. Serve warm with butter and jam.